The Amethyst King
by WinterierLionheart
Summary: Lelouch is saved only to be thrust into a hell worse than death to him. But what is it to Suzaku? The White Knight makes sure the two become inseparable, but to what end? Will Lelouch ever really stop lying to others and more importantly himself?
1. Illusions of Death

_So here we go, as you have read the basis is simply that Kururugi doesn't let Lelouch die. It sounded to me like something Kururugi would do. I am warning you of my writing first off though. I have a tendency to get very wordy at times and throw adverbs in to sentences that have no need of them what so ever. That and I have issues with grammar but who doesn't. Anyway forwarning on style but anyway I hope you like it. _

_I'd put a disclaimer but I think thats a little obvious that this isn't mine along with the what four thousand other fanfics. I also won't put any warnings, all they are is stupid spoilers and plot predictors. Anyway yeah hope you guys love it!_

_Read, review, and most of all enjoy! _

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The Amethyst King

Chapter One

Illusions of Death

10/8/2010 2:09 PM

Lelouch woke. He pulled himself out of his dreams. His body was screaming at him that something was wrong. He smiled. Of Course, something was wrong. He'd been stabbed by his best friend and now was dying. His muscle tensed and flexed uncomfortably. He sucked in what he thought would be his last breath before gripping gasps of pain stiffened him. His eyes shot open wide as the severity of his situation hit him. His mid region was alight with a stabbing aching pain. that wasn't even the worst of it. He couldn't see he realized as he blinked repeatedly. A blindfold had been drawn over hsi eyes.

That didn't stop the new world around him from becoming astoundingly clear. The pain subsided slowly to a dull ache under the bandages and finally after a few moments he could feel as it he could at least breathe. He gasped in another breath and tried pulling on his arms. They were securely bound behind himself. He moved his shoulders against the unyielding fabric. It was most certainly not of the soft fluid fabric of his imperial robes. The fabric was rough, there wasn't much leeway to move in it, it scratched at his skin when he moved. It was a mass production type of linen, probably bland in color and cheap to make. He turned his head slightly. The same cloth felt to be covering his eyes. Of course a blind fold, They wanted him completely crippled. He gritted his teeth in a scowl.

He was in a cell block. He leaned forward from the wall. The pain hit immediate. He let out a cry as he doubled and lost balance hitting the floor. He twisted painfully drawing his bound feet in to his chest. He tightened as the pain intensified and then slowly Lelouch forced himself to calm. He had to assess his situation. He was now lying curled on his side on the floor. The lights above him seemed to flicker slightly as he laid there panting. He pulled on his arms quickly he found that was the wrong move as the muscles pulled throughout his body sending more pain throughout his nerve endings. He hissed and cried out as the pain hit him.

"Lelouch!" he knew that voice. His eyes widened. "Lelouch, are you alright?" Strong hands made contact quickly. One of those hands went to his head the other to his shoulder.

"Suzaku." Lelouch whispered, in acknowledgement more than anything else.

"I'm here." The boy answered. It was more than an answer though. He wasn't just telling Lelouch he was there, he seemed to be reassuring himself that yes he really was there. It couldn't possibly be that Suzaku felt guilt for something...could it? Lelouch felt Suzaku's hand continue from his shoulder to the blindfold. He slipped it off easily enough. If Lelouch hadn't of known better he would have mistaken the act as a caress. The thought was quickly forgotten though as Lelouch blinked taking the bright lit cell block in. Of course he was in the Tokyo Central Prison. He turned his head to his friend, defeated. His eyes shot wide.

Suzaku was over him dressed in full Zero costume, minus the mask and the cape. His green eyes shined like stars down at him through those brunette curls. "Come on let me help you up." He spoke softly and an equally soft smile graced his face.

"Don't touch me!" Lelouch spoke viciously. He snarled at him turning his head away from Suzaku's hand. He couldn't exactly escape him completely, but the feeling was at the least conveyed. His lip curled in a snarl as He glowered up at his former friend.

"Lelouch, please I'm trying to help—" Suzaku reached out to him again. His emerald leaf green eyes softened.

"I said don't touch me!" Lelouch cursed at him. His own violent orbs turning to stone. "How dare you Suzaku!" he hissed at him.

"What?" Suzaku asked, confused. "I thought you would..." Suzaku let the sentence drift off.

"What?" Lelouch interjected. "You thought I would what? Fall at your feet? Beg for you to kill me again? Tell me Suzaku, what did you really think my reaction to this betrayal would be?"

Suzaku was frozen over the petite teen. Lelouch scowled up at the man. "I-I guess I expected you to be..."

"What? Tell me Zero!" he hissed the name out like it was vermin.

"Lelouch-" Suzaku stammered now. The young man knew this hadn't been going well but now it was just turning ugly.

"I gave you that mask!" Lelouch cut him off. He spat the word back like they were darts. Lelouch truly wanted nothing but to hurt the other man now. He'd been dragged to this-this cell block and for what? a little last chat? he didn't need this and least of all from Suzaku.

"Lelouch please!" Suzaku gasped and reached forward to the bound form on the floor.

"How dare you confront me in those cloths!" Lelouch screamed only to gasped from pain. he groaned into the floor his face contorted with the wound his betrayer had given him. Suzaku was immediately touching him again. His hand dusted through his hair to his neck, holding his face up gently to look at him. His other hand wen to his side. Suzaku's fingers prodded lightly around the wound.

Lelouch whipped his head away from Suzaku and leaned his body away from him with a grimace. "How many times do I have to tell you not to touch me!" Lelouch's face was mixed with a little wrath a little pain and but most of all betrayal. His violet eyes glared knifes up at Warrant Officer Kururugi. Finally Suzaku took notice of what his old friend was really saying to him.

Suzaku sat deliberately back on his knees speaking quietly. "This isn't what you think it is."

"I don't care! You betrayed me again!" Lelouch hissed and turned away from him. He searched the glass enclosure for any other soul at all. He still had his Geass at the very least. All he would need was a few seconds and he coudl escape this world all together, just as he had planned.

It was silent between the two of them. Not awkward but more of a stand off, of course between a defeated soldier that was supposed to be dead and a defeated emperor who was subsequently also supposed to be dead. It was a cold silence of lies and lost trust. The cold silence blistering and freezing the room over. Lelouch refused to look at Suzaku and Suzaku refused to look anywhere but at Lelouch. Lelouch simply searched for any other soul foolish enough to reveal their eyes to him and Suzaku watched as the former emperor searched.

"You won't find anyone." Suzaku said. His soft voice had turned stoic and cold now.

Lelouch cringed slightly at the words. Already he man was acting superior to him. That voice held all the pride and all the glory Lelouch had once had and had lost, forever. More than that fact was that all of it had been handed over to none other than the man next to him. He turned his head into the pale floor. Escape was all he wanted now. He was supposed to have already had that, but just like everything else it had been stolen from him.

He heard Suzaku shuffle back to lean his back against the wall. "This really isn't what you think this is, Lelouch."

Lelouch's head spun that look of pure hate played out as he looked at the Japanese man. "Than what the hell is it?"

Suzaku let his head roll against the wall to let one eye make contact. It was a warning and more he was baiting him. He knew Lelouch couldn't use his Geass on him but he continually was giving him eye contact opportunities. like throwing a lamb jjust out of the

"I brought you here." Suzaku said stoic, he leaned his muscular form against the wall his shoulders relaxing letting his hands collect at his lap.

Lelouch scowled at him before turning his face away. "We had a deal."

"You never said I couldn't save you—" Suzaku was still saying it as if it were a casual conversation between the two. No emotion involved in the least bit.

"Save me!" Lelouch turned his violent eyes back. "Dying was all I wanted!" Lelouch gritted his teeth. "You have taken everything from me and now even my right to decide whether I live or die!"

"It's no less than you did to me." Suzaku spat back now with a bit of his own malice.

Lelouch turned his face to the floor before pushing his legs underneath him to try to sit up. He groaned in pain as his mid-reign was lit up like circuit board again. He gritted his way through the pain and pushed up farther.

"Lelouch stop!" Suzaku ordered leaning away from the wall and too Lelouch. Lelouch smiled a bit even in the middle of a fight that filthy traitor couldn't be anything but concerned for him.

Suzaku's hand reached him and he hissed. "I told you not to touch me!" immediately the hand shot an inch back. Lelouch watched it carefully. So he still had some power over the boy. But could it go as far as…?

He maneuvered himself up on his knees finally able to simply sit. He hissed as he tried straightening. The stabbing had done its damage. Lelouch felt like he could hardly breath. He abruptly stopped at the thought. He stretched back a little feeling the pull at the stitchings. More than likely they had used stitches just in case of internal bleeding. It was easier to pull out stitches and fix the problem than to draw a new wound through his skin and have to deal with the problem of bleeding to death. He thought on it a moment. He straightened, and arched just slightly. Bleeding would be a serious threat to him right now.

"Lelouch, please stop you shouldn't be moving that much." Suzaku growled at him.

Lelouch looked straight ahead at the glass. The prison was massive. It would take at the least ten minutes to get him to any help if he needed it. Besides that he had caused a lot of damage the first time weakening his tissue. The second time he would likely do twice the damage with less the effort. He pulled in a long breath before arching back. He gasped at the pain his eyes wide before letting himself fall. It was almost instantly he felt it. He gasped into the ghostly silence. He'd reopened the wound. He fell back to the floor with little to no sound.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku screamed and was immediately to Lelouch's side. Lelouch smiled looking up at the once friend. He'd get his wish after all. Especially if Suzaku kept pining over him. He wasn't sure on the time limit he had before he would bleed out but it couldn't be long. The red liquid quickly pooled over his stomach before spilling on to the pale floor.

Suzaku noticed his eyes also wide he leapt up from the floor the glass instantly raised up to as he slid around the corner and to the control pad. He was panicked, Lelouch could tell from watching him as he screamed the orders into the contraption.

"Get a medic down here now!" His voice was a bit callous but it got the job done.

"Yes ser, immediately." The reply came. Suzaku scrambled back to Lelouch in an instant.

"Lelouch?" he spoke, his voice cracking. He kneeled over him. Lelouch looked up into those ever-green eyes. His first and last friend. He smiled softly as Suzaku tentively moved his hands down to his head. his hands shook as the moved over Lelouch's white porcelain face. Suzaku tenderly cupped Lelouch's thin face. Lelouch breathed thin already only half there to take in what Suzaku was really doing. Suddenly Suzaku's eyes flashed to the red mess at Lelouch's middle. Lelouch felt as Suzaku's hand fiercely started at his shirt.

"Suzaku stop." Lelouch whispered. Suzaku didn't look to him.

"No!" he hissed back and continued to un-strap the shirt revealing the blood soaked wound beneath. Lelouch lay back letting a smile slip into his features closing his eyes. Suzaku pulled Lelouch's legs out from under him to let him lay flat.

"Suzaku!" Lelouch didn't have to look to know the medics had arrived. He snorted a bit, they were earlier than expected. He'd have thought they would want him dead as well so the fact that they were early pulled at Lelouch's thoughts. But then again when death comes knocking not much of the details seem to remain.

"Lloyd, help me!" Suzaku pleaded, his voice was more than cracking now.

Lelouch cracked his eyes to look back at the researcher. Ms. Cecile was standing next to him a medic team behind them as well. What struck him was Lloyd. The man looked shocked. Lelouch turned his head to Suzaku. The Japanese man looked more than panicked. Why? Lelouch thought to himself. Lelouch was already supposed to have died once? Besides didn't Suzaku want him dead? He shook the thoughts away limply and let his head rest to the side. He was getting very drowsy. He smiled it would be just as it should. He was going to die.

"Help me!" Suzaku screamed again this time much more like an order and the team reacted and rushed forward.

Lelouch was already slipping though. He registered as the medical team lifted him on to the medic float system, but then it all started to fade. The next moment he was being pushed through the double doors to be blasted with bright fluorescents. He went to lift is arm to shield it only to find his arm restrained.

"You might want to get those eyes of his covered up." Lloyd commented absently. Lelouch opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Suzaku entered his limited vision and pulled the blindfold over his eyes. And with that darkness he let himself go.

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Lelouch blinked several times before opening his eyes fully. He tried to sit up, failing as he realized they had put the restraints on him. The only thing really mobile was his head. Turning his head he surveyed himself in an infirmary of some sort. He was well secured to the medical bed. The tubes and wires all connected to him did that job almost better than the straps. He was nude under the covers, all bare but for the bandages around his abdomen and chest. He ached now. The straps prevented him from moving but he didn't need to move to feel the pain now. He gave a soft moan before turning his head to the room.

"That was a close one." Lelouch recognized the voice instantly, Lloyd. His eyes shot around the room. The room was small, private it had a large window at the foot of the bed and only one door near the head. they looked to be the only exits in total. The view of the window was just of sky so he doubted they were close enough to the ground to be considered and exit with out help. That simply left the door as a possibility if he needed it. The room was dark with the night sky seen from the window. The only source of artificial light in the room was from the open door casting the frame of golden-yellow light from the next room. That is where Lelouch supposed the conversation was coming from.

"It could have been worse too, do you remember the first time we had to stitch him up?" This voice was new. Lelouch didn't dwell on that though. A medical staff had never exactly been on his priority list of people to meet. "The boy was a lot more than half dead then." the voice was strong but not overbearing. Male, older twenties at least. But a new voice meaning his Geass would work on him. In short a threat, but possibly a minimized threat. Strange the voice hadn't sounded resentful in the least. Lelouch would have thought that saving him would be—well not desirable.

"It amazes me how fast Suzaku can act when it comes to that boy." Lloyd said as always in his casual tone.

"Lloyd!" The definite voice of Cecile scolded.

"It was only an observation." Lloyd explained in his defense.

"I do believe the Earl of Pudding has a point though." Rakshata joined in. Lelouch turned his head more to listen. Did everyone know he was alive? "I mean think about it, Lelouch pulls one silly little stunt and Suzaku has the whole medical unit in an up roar over him."

The sound of a door opening and then closing brought a small silence.

"How is he?" Lelouch's eyes shot open. Cornelia was here.

"Stable. We have him restrained. He tries to kill himself again and we'll know about it." Lloyd answered her.

"I see, and Kururugi?"

"Resting, my lady." Cecile answered this time.

"Good." There was the sound of moving chairs as Lelouch guessed she was sitting down. It was a long moment before she spoke again. "Has he used it on anyone yet?" Lelouch cringed at her tone now, it cut through him harshly.

"No one." The unknown voice said.

"Thank goodness." Cornelia breathed seemingly relieved.

"Suzaku insists a blindfold will hold him off for the time being, but Gottwald is more or less indefinitely stationed on the property nonetheless." Lloyd commented.

"Suzaku moves freely in and out of the room himself." The unknown man comments boldly.

"Doesn't that mean he could be…" this voice was of Nina. Lelouch wanted to laugh. If it had been any other moment in his life and he would have been terrified to know all these people knew of his Geass and further more that he was in their custody. Even more frightening was that a portion of the people in that room he had already used his Geass on. No, there was no getign his way out now…well at least no way alive.

"No." Cornelia said. "Suzaku told me he could only use it once on people and he's already used it on him a time before."

"How are we to know if he's used it on us then?" Nina asked.

"Through Gottwald naturally."Lloyd said nonchalant.

"The second Gottwald destroys the hold Lelouch's power has over you, you can regain the memory of what you have done." Cecile naturally explained further.

"Oh my…" Nina breathed.

"That means I could go in there." Cornelia commented.

There was another long pause. Lelouch watched the light displayed across the linoleum floor. He really was hated by all of them and yet for some reason he was still here. He should have been dead twice. The fact kept rolling itself over and over in his head.

"So the question would be where do we go from here?" Rakshata said. Lelouch perked up at this.

"Do we trust Suzaku or not?" the earl continued for her, he was rather more solemn now. It was one of the first times Lelouch had ever heard a change in the man's usually so casual voice.

They all stopped at that.

"He says it was Lelouch that got us all here." Nina said quietly.

"Yes and Lelouch was also the one to inflict this tyranny on us all." Cornelia added.

"And yet," Rakshata joined in. "He is truly brilliant if everything Suzaku has said is true."

"And yet the question still remains the same." Lloyd gave a sigh. "Do we really trust what he has said?"

The door suddenly burst open. "Where is that traitor!" Lelouch's eyes widened again now. Kallen had arrived. "I'll kill him myself this time!" The irony of the whole thing was tearing at Lelouch. He'd worked so hard for so long for all of them to not know a thing and now they all knew everything with in less than a few hours of his scheduled death.

"Kallen please." Rakshata scolded. "Good to see you again Ohgi."

"You too, Rakshata." Ohgi commented. So they literally were all here. What was Suzaku trying to do? Torture him into obscurity? He turned to the ceiling. Just being alive still was torture for him. He had planned on dying. Now that he hadn't died all he wanted to do was to die. What was the point now? Every objective he'd ever had was filled or forgotten anyway.

"You two are just in time it would seem." Lloyd said. Lelouch kept his eyes on the ceiling.

"What I want to know is why is he still alive?" Kallen yelled at them all.

"Unfortunately that is what we are all thinking." Cornelia said. There was spite in her voice now. They truly did not want him alive. Lelouch let his eyes drift closed. If they only knew that he wished for nothing but to grant their wish.

"Well maybe we should all just fix that!" Kallen countered. He could imagine it now her strong frame ready to pounce at him. One bullet and he would be finished.

"No, Kallen you won't be." Abruptly he heard from the door. Lelouch's eyes flew open and his head snapped to the door The tall broad form of Suzaku Kururugi stood in the framed light. The expression on his face was cold as ice. His lip curled in a threat he stopped himself form uttering as he simply let those powerful eyes pierce into the occupants of the unseen room.

"Suzaku—" Kallen stammered.

She was too late though as Suzaku reached to the coded pad for the door. The door shut abruptly cutting the light source down to nothing but for the light the moon let through the window. Suzaku stood there his fingers flying at the door control pad. the quiet soft light from the moon caste a soft light over the soldier. A second more passed then, 'Locked' flashed at the top display. Lelouch watched the figure as it simply stood there for another moment. Suzaku had abandoned the outfit Lelouch had passed on to him. Now in a simpler outfit. A button up shirt and jeans, casual shoes, all things Lelouch had not seen up close for what seemed like ages.

"Suzaku?" Lelouch asked. He realized that his voice was a lot weaker this time around. Figures He'd been stabbed once and then tried to commit suicide. Being weak was his only option now.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize I had left the door open when I sat down." Suzaku said as he turned to the bed. His eyes down-caste his face clear but for the ever so slight downturn of his lips.

"Sat down?" Lelouch inquired. Had been in the room the whole time now?

"Yeah," Suzaku looked down to the floor, evasively. " I needed some sleep so I sat down over in the corner…I'm really sorry Lelouch I didn't wake up till just a moment ago." He looked up at the last his eyes truly sorrowful.

Lelouch swallowed hard before speaking. "Don't be sorry for the truth."

"Lelouch," Suzaku stepped forward.

Lelouch silenced him with a fierce glare. If nothing else Lelouch had his control. "I have nothing to say to you Suzaku Kururugi."

Suzaku stood there, defeated himself. His shoulders lowered a little with the blow Lelouch had just let fly.

"Then let me simply be by you." He proposed with little hope of it reflected in his voice.

Lelouch turned his head away. "You are no longer my Knight, you can do as you please."

It was silent for a time. The blue cast of the moon seemed to be a mirror image of the feelings around the two. A short moment later Lelouch heard Suzaku pull a chair to the side of the bed before the soldier collapsed in it silently. Everything was different between them. But as always they were still in the same room together. They were still together…

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_After writing this I realized one small detail. I don't actually believe that Lelouch was killed. Haha! But then I thought that would completely ruin my story if Lelouch was supposed to have lived all along, so I set my logic aside and decided to just roll with this. Besides ruin my story? what? what is this folly of thought? _

_Okay, I usually end with a question so how about… Uhm well simple do you think Lelouch died at the end? If so why and if not why?_

_Click Review button nowish :) please and thank you! -_


	2. The Perfect Pawn

_So big thank you to all yall reading and all yall taking the time out of your day to write a review. _

_And alright, alright I know a name change! But the reason is really simply I couldn't find a chapter name so I started to write my way through the chapter. In a writers journal of course. I went through the chapter pretty much, step by step going through what the characters were saying and what the characters were meaning. At first I thought Lies, would be perfect but everyone is lying throughout the whole fan fic. No one is here with face value. It's all lies and deceit and then it hit me, all but one. Lelouch is the only one. He's the only one and yet he's a pawn in this chapter. He's there for everyone else's gain but his own. And then it hit me again that of course he's a pawn but in the story he's a king. Amethyst is the stone of mind clarity. He's the King of Clarity. He's the only one who knows exactly what he wants throughout the whole story and the only one that isn't lying! Simply he's the Amethyst kings, and so you see name change. _

_As far as the perfect pawn. He is the perfect pawn as well. Or to reword it he's the most coveted pawn. Everyone wants something from him in this, or at least wants him for something. Of course not a soul is saying it out loud, but hey it's me! when do I ever write something that has pure face value, beside characters are so much more fun to play with when their all lying to each other. Anyway I never really know what to say in these things so let's just get to what you came for! Onward story, onward!_

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The Amethyst King

Chapter Two

The Perfect Pawn

10/10/2010 10:21 PM

Lelouch hadn't really slept. It was hard with the restraints contracting his every movement. There was a thick strap over his shoulders holding his shoulders down another over his thighs holding them down there was possibly built into the bed a third strap to go over his stomach but with his current condition they hadn't used it. There were also straps holding each arm, at his wrists, on their respective sides with little leeway. That went for the straps around his ankles as well. The hospital covers over and around him wasn't giving him much room to move either. He was sure he had drifted though. He had remembered closing his eyes for a moment around four in the morning and opening them to look at the small digital clock on one of the numerous monitors in the room telling him it was now seven. He sighed deeply.

A nurse had dropped by some time around three to check his stats. She had quickly left but had only served to wake Lelouch form what little slumber he had achieved at the time. Suzaku on the other hand hadn't stirred through out the entire time the nurse had been there.

Suzaku had conceded to sleep a few moments after falling into the chair next to Lelouch's bed. Lelouch let his head rest off to the side to see the slumbering figure. It had been quite a site to watch the boy. He had tried so hard throughout the night not to lean forward onto the bed. He would slowly start to drift forward, before he'd startle himself awake, and quickly resume his previous position his arms crossed, his head leaning forward to his chest. Of course around one or so the soldier had finally given in and let his head come forward to the bed. An hour or so later one arm had found its way on to the bed. Lelouch noted that now the other one had found its way also. Suzaku had them crossed, his head resting on them. His body leaned against the side of the bed. Lelouch shook his head slightly. That idiot. He was exhausted and yet he'd still stayed here to sleep in an uncomfortable chair, in an uncomfortable room, with a companion who had proclaimed that he wasn't speaking to him. Lelouch snorted, why stay where you weren't welcome?

He stopped at that. He was staying where he wasn't welcome. He should have been dead right now. He should have had his body tossed off some cliff and forgotten about. He sighed and looked down at the soldier who had broken his promise.

Lelouch lifted his hand from the mattress reaching out deliberately until it was hovering over the sleeping boys head. If Suzaku had been an inch farther from him he wouldn't have been able to reach him. But then again that was how it had always been with the two once upon a time friends. Suzaku had always been just within reach. Even when they hated each other they were always there for each other. Lelouch let his hand hover a moment longer before he slowly and calmly let it down to rest on soft brunette curls.

Suzaku sucked in a long breath coming awake at the same moment. Lelouch shot his eyes to look at his hand tangled among Suzaku's hair. Anything to avoid those emerald eyes. Suzaku didn't pull away as Lelouch let his hand slowly run through the curls. Lelouch's hand tangled in the hair as he ran his fingers lightly through the thick locks. He curled one strand around his finger before letting it go and tracing the curve of Suzaku's head down to his ear and pulling his hand away. Lelouch replaced it to lie unceremoniously on the covers. He spied a quick glance at Suzaku. The soldier's eyes were locked on to Lelouch's hand. It was a moment before Suzaku unfolded his arms and tentively he reached forward covering Lelouch's hand with his own. He ran his thumb over the soft skin of his paler companion.

Suzaku's eyes still locked on to Lelouch's hand he spoke quietly. "Have you forgiven me yet?"

Lelouch shifted his own gaze slightly from their hands to those deep green eyes. He pondered his options for an answer before he turned his head all together away. "No." he said aloud and looked to the wall.

"Would you at least consider it?" Suzaku asked after his own thoughtful moment. His thumb still moved, stroking the porcelain skin of the former emperor.

Lelouch let his eyes slip closed. "You never forgave me."

"Le—" Suzaku sat up but as abruptly was interrupted.

The door slid open with a small sound of entrance as Lloyd let himself in. The two startled a bit looked to the door.

"Good Morning! You two co-conspirators having a nice reunion?" his ever-present smile had no reserves now as he giggle to himself stepping farther into the room.

"Lloyd." Suzaku let out a little awkwardly. It was clear he wasn't expecting this kind of an interruption and he didn't seem to have wanted it much either.

"Well that's not much of a greeting for the man who vouched for your integrity not that long ago!" Lloyd giggled and smiled. Immense amusement to the situation was the only words to use to describe him.

"Uh, " Suzaku stood separating the two's hands in the act. Lelouch wasn't sure when his eyes had wandered to their hands but nonetheless that had been their location. He watched as Suzaku took his hand up and away from his holding it at his side, in a very soldierly fashion.

"Look Lloyd right now really—" Suzaku stumbled on with his sentence. He stood there stiff, uncomfortable looking.

"Yes, yes, I know!" Lloyd said stopping the brunette." Unfortunately, Her Highness had other thoughts on the matter." He gestured out to the next room and just as he did a tall foreboding figure of a woman let herself in. Her slightly pursed lips downturned as her violent eyes scanned the room before coming to rest on Lelouch.

"Hello, brother." Cornelia spat out the acidic words.

Lelouch looked up at her for a moment before, refusing to answer, he turned his head to the wall.

"Chih!" Cornelia let out the sound through her gritted teeth her brow furrowing. "Kururugi! I need to have a word with you." She barked like it was an order.

Suzaku stiffened, like a wolf being addressed as a mongrel. "I'm here, Say what you want." He said rather coldly. Lelouch couldn't help a flicker of a smile. He had given Suzaku the ability to use that powerful voice.

"I meant alone, Kururugi." Cornelia snarled her brow furrowing.

Suzaku was quiet before he slowly sat back down. "I'm not leaving his side."

"Kururugi!" Cornelia started before stopping herself, "We have promised you that he will be well taken care of. He'll be fine on his own for a few minutes."

Suzaku looked up at her for a moment before he turned to Lelouch. "I already told you I'm not leaving."

"Suzaku, he's—" Cornelia started to yell now.

Suzaku didn't give her a chance though, standing faster than most humans could imagine cutting her short with shock. Within the same second he placed himself between the two royals. His eyes burned as he snarled at Cornelia. "He is my emperor."

Cornella's face twisted at this. "Don't overstep your boundaries—"

"I am Zero!" Suzaku cut the princess off yet again, with a snarl of his own. "But first and always foremost I am the Knight of Zero, Knight to Lelouch vi Brittania, First Emperor of the entire world!"

"He is no longer emperor!" Cornella screamed at the soldier.

"No." Suzaku said back, calmer now. "He is no longer your emperor, he never stopped being mine." He turned now to Lelouch. The former emperor was looking away to the wall his eyes mere slits focused on nothing in particular. Suzaku seemed to think n what to do next before looking at the monitor directly over Lelouch's head. His eyes scanned the stats before he looked back down at the patient.

"Suzaku," Cornelia said after a moment. "I know it hurt when Euphy died but it was that monster you're protecting that did it."

Suzaku didn't answer. He turned his head before he looked back down and spoke. "Lelouch forced me to live and now he's _given_ me a reason to live. I am Zero. I am his Knight of Zero. I was Euphy's Knight, but now I am Lelouch's. I will do everything in my power as a Knight to hold up my responsibilities to Lelouch."

"Your responsibility?" Cornelia asked. "Your responsibility to Lelouch as has already been pointed out was to kill him!"

Suzaku stood looking down at Lelouch. He seemed to ponder his answer before he finally spoke. "No, my responsibility to Lelouch is to protect him…even if that means protecting him from himself."

Cornelia was silent. They all were silent for a long moment before Lloyd decided to come into the conversation. "It would seem, the only opinion we haven't heard about Lelouch's life would be well Lelouch's opinion."

All eyes turned to the former emperor. His violet half lidded eyes were still on the wall. He was trying to face completely away from all of the others in the room. Lelouch's hands had slipped from the mattress to hide under the covers.

"Well, Lelouch?" Cornelia said loudly.

Lelouch rolled his eyes over to the princess. His face was completely stoic.

"Lelouch, you don't have to answer her." Suzaku said at Lelouch's side.

"Yes, he does." Cornelia cut in now. "I want to hear it from your own filthy mouth. Do you really want to still be living?"

Lelouch closed his eyes for a long moment before opening them confronting Cornelia with violent violet orbs. "I would believe that my former action would be an answer for your questions."

Cornelia strode forward, startling Suzaku she pushed her way past him.

"Cornelia!" Suzaku started and went to move in front of her. He stopped abruptly as Lelouch grabbed his hand closest to the bed.

"If she wants proof let her have it." Lelouch said.

Cornelia caste the covers back to unearth Lelouch's thin form underneath. Suzaku angrily tried to step forward and stop the princess. Lelouch squeezed at his hand holding him back. Lelouch's body was increasingly thin. His ribs were starting to show and his shallow chest and stomach seemed almost hollow. His entire abdomen was bandaged from the middle of his chest down to his waist line. The bandages were already red along the long slit through Lelouch's skin under the white cloth.

The blood didn't stop Cornelia though as she ripped her gloves off before attacking the bandages. She pulled the small medical scissors from the table next to Lelouch's bed and started clipping away the wrappings.

"Cornelia, I thought I made it clear what would happen if you hurt him—" Suzaku growled at her.

"She's not Suzaku." Lelouch surprisingly said interrupting his proclaimed Knight. He looked confident for the first time in the last few days.

Cornelia finished quickly before throwing the bloody scissors back onto the metal side table at the side of the bed. Before her was the bloody mess of Lelouch's torso.

"You're still bleeding." Cornelia commented.

"We can't sew him up yet. We need to patch up the inside before we can work on sealing him up." Lloyd joined in. "Yesterday we were focusing on stopping the internal bleeding. The bleeding now is slow going, he's clotting rather fast now so we hope to have him all synched up by tonight."

"You're putting him back under surgery tonight?" Cornelia asked.

"Yes," Suzaku answered. "The sooner he's healed up the faster I can get him out of here."

Cornelia looked down at Lelouch. "Why don't you do it tonight?"

"What?" it was Lloyd.

"No." Suzaku said defiantly. "I already told you the second I could get him out of here I would. He's not a threat anymore Cornelia!" he snarled out the last of it.

"He'll always be a threat as long as those eyes are open!" Cornelia screamed back.

"Oh god, you don't really want us to do that do you?" Lloyd said in surprise.

"Why not?" Cornelia turned to him. She stepped away from Lelouch and closer to Lloyd. "Do it tonight! You and Roland said it was possible." Suzaku quickly stepped between the space she had left. He quickly took a wide stance before the hospital bed. His back to Lelouch. The former emperor watched him. After all he'd done, the soldier was still for some odd reason was leaving his back to him without a second thought it seemed or even a look over his shoulder. Lelouch sighed, why in the world would the soldier still trust him that much?

"Well in theory, yes!"Lloyd stumbled. "But it's never exactly been done before! We wouldn't even know what to do—if we didn't do it perfectly Lelouch could go completely blind!"

"So?" Cornelia stumbled. "He's a monster! Who cares if he's blind—"

"I care!" Suzaku snarled.

Cornelia stopped before turning back. "Suzaku, we—"

"Zero." Suzaku boldly interrupted her. "You are addressing Zero. If you recall you yourself helped re-elect me as leader of the Black Knights and therefore leader of the only existing military force left in the world that is not completely loyal to the man you are suggesting to possibly blind!"

Cornelia seemed to draw her complete height up puffing her chest up like a threatened bird. "Then you are addressing Princess Cornelia li Britannia and I order you to shut those eyes up." She ordered back at him.

Suzaku let out a laugh. "If you are Princess Cornelia than this is my Emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia—"

"My Royalty does not sanction his claim-" Cornelia cut him off her face contorting with anger.

"No it is only your insistence that you are royalty that sanctions his Imperialism!"Suzaku growled back at her. It was like a sprung trap now. Lelouch watched as his lapdog snarled and growled in front of him. He couldn't believe his eyes. After all of this Suzaku really and truly still was his knight. "By your own fathers standard he took hold of that throne! The strong will triumph over the weak. Lelouch made himself strong enough and has conquered the world! You just don't want to admit you are weaker than him."

"My father's theories—" Cornelia started.

"You reject your father, and you reject your own claim to royalty." Suzaku said defiantly. Lelouch couldn't help the flicker of the smile he let slip. He was impressed at his Knight. Suzaku hadn't drawn any sort of weapon and yet he had Cornelia cornered. Either way she turned Suzaku would out rank her. As the Knight of Zero he was second only to him and as Zero Suzaku was one of the key players in the making of the new world. Either way, he out ranked her and he outmatched her. He couldn't be just gotten rid of and he couldn't be disregarded. Lelouch had to admit within a matter of minutes Suzaku had managed to do something Lelouch hadn't managed to do in his entire life.

"I'm not it's just his theories—" Cornelia stammered for once in her life.

"Were in part his claim to the throne and to his rule. They were part of him and in becoming who you were in our former world you accepted his 'theories'" Suzaku was still snarling. His body was taunt and stiff. He was still ready to strike at any moment, but completely defensive of the emperor in the hospital bed.

Cornelia's lip curled as her face twisted. "If that is the case Lelouch has no claim either."

"Lelouch conquered over your father. He killed him and took his throne." Suzaku stared the princess down.

Cornelia looked back at him. It was a few long moments before her face smoothed and her eyes softened. She stood taking her gloves in her blood stained hands and stepped to the door. Before going through it she stopped. "What happened, Suzaku? What happened between the two of you that was so critical that you would turn against someone you once considered an ally?"

Suzaku stepped back. His hands went behind him to the bed. He rested them on the covers, making sure that Lelouch was still behind him. Lelouch let a second slip of flickered smile. Suzaku was doing an amazing job of proving himself today.

"I found someone I could trust Cornelia. I found someone who actually put his entire life to keeping if nothing else one promise."

"And the promises of Euphy?" Cornelia asked, more somber now.

Suzaku turned looking down to Lelouch. "Have come true. He kept his promises and has even that of others."

"That doesn't bring her back." Cornelia hissed.

"Neither will killing Lelouch." Suzaku said softly his eyes still on Lelouch.

Cornelia snorted before walking out. Suzaku ignored her looking down still at his emperor. It was a long moment as Lelouch let his eyes wonder up to the others face. Lelouch shook his head silently before turning away, looking again to the wall.

"Well that was interesting." Lloyd commented before stepping to the hospital bed.

Suzaku reacted stepping directly into Lloyds path his eyes now focused on the researcher.

"Down doggy down! I'm just checking his stats. If we really do end up putting him back under tonight Roland wants him ready for it." Lloyd said gesturing Suzaku to get out of his way.

"What do you mean if?" Suzaku asked letting the man pass and leaned back on the bed closer to the foot of it.

"Well we're not sure what we're doing exactly. But of course if Cornelia knew that she would have a hay day with it! She'd want more done if she knew we might be stringing the surgeries out a little longer than originally planned." Lloyd said as he retrieved the laptop from the counter and returning to the monitors recoding down what he saw, his eyes moving up to the monitors then down to the laptop repetitiously

Suzaku pondered that for another moment before speaking. "What do you mean? What is setting you back?"

Lloyd looked over his shoulder at the soldier. "That would be a question more appropriate for our former emperor here." He gestured down at Lelouch. Suzaku's eyes followed the gesture down to Lelouch. Lelouch on the other hand was looking to the wall still. He pulled in a long breath before closing his eyes. He didn't need to answer to anyone.

"Lelouch?" Suzaku asked tentively.

Lelouch's eyes flashed open and he directed them to his knight at the foot of the bed. He shook his head in a reply and then let his eyes slip back closed.

"Alright then, Lloyd?" Suzaku said with a sigh and turned back to the researcher for the answer he wanted.

"Well it would seem our little friend here has been planning on dying for some time." Lloyd said his head again nodding between the monitors and the laptop. "Alright, we can go ahead and bandage him back up now. Good thing he would need re-bandaged soon anyway or Cornelia would have really started to get on my nerves. I mean really we've stitched the boy up twice now!" Lloyd retrieved the supplies he needed from the store closet and pulled out the metal side table placing the things on it before going to Lelouch. Lelouch looked over at the man glaring daggers at him.

"Here let me." Suzaku said as he pushed Lloyd out of the way and started to undo the straps holding Lelouch down. Lelouch turned away as both his wrists were freed then his upper torso. Suzaku then proceeded to lift the boy up, moving behind him he sat on the bed, holding Lelouch to semi-sit up. It was at least enough so that Lloyd could bandage the boy back up.

Lloyd started immediately pulling off the old wrappings.

"Nahhhhh!" Lelouch let out, hissing as Lloyd was forced to peel the gauze away from his skin. The dried blood had stuck the gauze to him like glue.

"Shhh, it's okay Lelouch." Suzaku whispered at his ear. Lelouch looked back to the knight.

"You know this all would have been so much easier if you hadn't of stuck the sword all the way through him." Lloyd commented like he was talking about a column in the Sunday paper.

Suzaku gave a brief smile. "I was focusing on not hitting vital organs."

"Suzaku, you stabbed him with a sword as long as you are tall, right through the middle of his torso. You should have known you were going to hit something vital." Lloyd commented as he finished up, tossing the used bandages in the trash. "Hold him he isn't going to like this part."

Lelouch didn't his eyes going wide and his breath catching as Lloyd started to wipe the wound as clean as he could get it. The burning seemed to sear his skin and he stifled a scream. He couldn't get why they wanted him fixed so bad anyway.

"It's alright." Suzaku said at his ear. He pulled an arm around Lelouch's shoulders holding him more securely than necessary. Lelouch sucked in another struggled breath his hands going to Suzaku's arm.

"Almost done." Lloyd said as he instructed for Suzaku to hold Lelouch on his side so he could properly see to the back.

Lelouch turned rather willingly as Suzaku adjusted himself on the bed to hold him there as comfortable as possible for a stabbing victim. The ebony haired sighed in to the embrace. The thought abruptly occurred to him that he was still quite bare. He brushed the thought away amused. What did it matter now? All he wanted was death and all Suzaku wanted was for him to live. As always the two of them couldn't possibly be on the same page at the same time. He closed his eyes as he felt Lloyd start to replace new gauze over the wound.

A moment later Suzaku pulled him back to lay flat. With a bit of a groan of pain Lelouch tried to help himself. Suzaku seemed not to notice the feeble attempt as he laid Lelouch out on his lap.

"If we can get him back hydrated we will more than likely operate tonight." Lloyd said as he finished wrapping off the wound.

Suzaku looked up. "What do you mean?"

"As in we'll put him back under this evening when Roland can get off his more official shift." Lloyd explained.

"No, what do you mean by getting him back hydrated?" Suzaku explained also.

"Like I said it seems someone was planning on dying more that even you must have seen." Lloyd elaborated.

Suzaku looked down to Lelouch who again only looked away. Suzaku knew that Lelouch had planned on ending his life from the start. He may not have wanted to admit it but he knew and just like always he had betrayed him in the end of it all, just like he knew he would.

"Do you think we can get him completely hydrated in a matter of hours?" Suzaku asked his hard emerald eyes pointed down to the patient.

"Oh, we've already started. He's had an IV supplying nutrients since he went under yesterday. He's amazingly malnourished." Lloyd finished it up before stepping back to the laptop on the side table. He typed for a split moment before a couple clicks and shut the thing.

"Alright then I'm all finished up here." Lloyd scooped the laptop in up in his arm and turned to Suzaku.

Suzaku gently moved out from under Lelouch replacing him to the pillows and stepped to Lloyd.

"What time do you think you'll be putting him back under?" Suzaku asked. Lelouch perked a bit at this looking to the two conversing near the door.

"No later than we have too. Mostly it depends on him. The better his stats are the sooner we'll do it." Lloyd said as he pressed the control pad and the door slid open.

Suzaku looked back at Lelouch. "How many more surgeries do you think it will take?"

Lloyd exhaled long and slow. "Well, we don't really know. Roland wants to get back in there as soon as he can. Last time we patched up what was needed and this time we're going back into more or less tidy up our work."

"You did a sloppy job last time or something?" Suzaku asked his emerald hard eyes now directed at Lloyd.

"Not sloppy so much as hurried. The boy was bleeding to death with twice the damage as the first time! Really, Suzaku, we're lucky he survived that little stunt of his. Hell! We're lucky he survived the first time around! " Lloyd explained.

Suzaku looked back again at Lelouch. "Thank you." He said softly and looked back to the researcher. "For saving him, twice now."

Lloyd smiled. "You got me out of prison."

"Yes, but he put you in there in the first place." Suzaku said.

"He also planned on killing himself for the betterment of the world." Lloyd pointed out.

Suzaku didn't answer now only took one last look back over his shoulder.

Lloyd nodded at Suzaku's silent dismissal and commented on his way out. "I'll send Roland in when he gets a free moment." And with that Lelouch heard as the door pressed closed behind him.

Suzaku turned facing Lelouch. "We need to talk."

"What would you like to hear?" Lelouch said flatly looking up at the hardened cold face of his former knight.

"Why have you been starving yourself for one?" Suzaku growled low lunging to the bed to pin his body over Lelouch's fragile frame.

"What does it matter?" Lelouch answered. "What's done is done." He looked away from his knight then in a very princely fashion.

"Oh no you don't!" Suzaku hissed and latched his hand on to Lelouch's chin pointing his face too him. "You are going to face me Lelouch!" he barked.

Lelouch smirked. "Face you? Is that why I'm alive? So you can duel me and win back some petty fantasy of your pride!"

"Lelouch!" Suzaku barked louder now baring his fangs.

"You can have it then!" Lelouch let out his own hiss. "I forfeit! Have whatever you want but do me a favor and keep your promise to me!"

"What?" Suzaku said in disbelief, his eyes gone wide.

"Have it! Whatever it is you want just have it but let me die in peace!" Lelouch said calmer as he noticed the change in Suzaku's face.

Suzaku's face changed again as Lelouch observed him. It softened then seemed crushed. Suzaku receded from over Lelouch and sat at the edge of the bed. Suzaku looked to the floor as he slumped into his sitting position. Lelouch pushed himself painfully up a moment to look at him. He leaned back on his elbows looking at the former officer and Knight. The comment had not been answered, but then again neither had answered each other in this quarrel.

"Just please for once answer the question Lelouch, honestly, why have you been starving yourself?" Suzaku asked his eyes closed

Lelouch was silent. He looked at the soldier at the end of the bed. There was something about him now. Something that had been there before but now it was just more pronounced for some reason. Something that had been hidden and now realized, but to what end? Lelouch went to reach out to Suzaku then. He carefully shifted is weight to one elbow before tentively outstretched his free hand. He hesitated for a moment holding his hand back in front of him but resumed soon after. He leaned forward with his hand. Suzaku's slouched and crumbled looking form at the side of bed was just ahead of his fingers before—his elbow slipped. Lelouch gave a curse before having to replace his other elbow for balance.

"Forget it!" Suzaku hissed, his eyes flashing open, and he leapt up from the bed, his back to Lelouch. Lelouch still winced at the pain. He didn't know how to stop Suzaku. Instead he simply leaned back on to the bed and watched as Suzaku pulled the blue and white jacket of his on and continued to the door.

"Get some sleep." Suzaku growled at him, he punched the key pad and the door slid open. Suzaku took one step out before stopping and turning back to Lelouch. "I'm not going to let you die Lelouch. You trusted my life in your hands and I'm not going to let it go to waste." And with that he turned and was out the door.

Lelouch watched him go sighing as he heard the door shut behind him. He watched the key pad a second longer. In seconds it flashed 'Locked' and the green light at the side turned to red. Oh course, Suzaku locks him in! Lelouch looked down though, The Knight had left in such a hurry he had forgotten one small detail. The restraints, well at least half of them were left off of Lelouch now. Lelouch couldn't say he was exactly sorry about the fact either. He leaned back farther into the pillows. As much as he hated when Suzaku was right this time well Suzaku was right. He did need sleep.

* * *

_So now we are well on our way to a story don't you think haha! Anyway thank you guy's so much for all thee amazing amazing reviews they were more than fabulous! They make my day every time I see a new one! But anyway on to a question. Uhm… Loyalty, define it? Yeah actually that sounds pretty good. Give me your best definition of what loyalty is! And not I want what it is to you! Okay ready set go!_


	3. Setting the Stage

_Okay So I'm embarking on a project to get these chapters written long before I ever have them posted. The reasons are being that I am in College and I have Midterms, Finals and yeah all that jazz. And as much as I love all you guys I'm actually paying for college and if I don't do well that's kind of just like all of my money going down the drain. So I'm going to have a stock pile so to speak from which I can post with while still being able to devote time to my studies. So the dates on here might seem a little funny when you read them. Anyway yeah just so you don't freak out and be all like WFT! You wrote this like three weeks ago! Yes, I did but I don't release it until an Update Saturday!_

_That is the second thing I wanted to talk about. I have update Saturday! It's like a treat for me and a treat for you every Saturday morning! Well, not every Saturday morning but enough. Anyway yeah I'll post at like one, two, three in the morning then when you get up that morning tada, an update! Now that you know on to the story!_

_P.s. I was looking for alternate words for green, because I hate becoming repetitive and I found that the word midori is Japanese for green. Suzaku is Japanese and has green eyes, can any of you say, perfection?_

* * *

The Amethyst King

Chapter Three

Setting the Stage

10/19/2010 11:10 PM

Lelouch opened his eyes to find Suzaku…again. That face if not fully memorized he was sure would be forever imprinted now. And if by chance he were to forget it again, he was certain Suzaku would swiftly reeducate him. Lelouch was sure not a moment had gone by while he was awake that he had not somehow come into contact with Suzaku. That said tall knight was now leaning over him their faces in direct confrontation of the other. His dark amber curls hung down at him, shading his face from the light let in through the window. Lush midori eyes watched him as Lelouch's own violet ones tried to awaken. He blinked several times trying to clear the fog of sleep.

"What are you—" it hit! As the soft blanket of sleep was swept away and the agonizing bulldozer of pain made itself known. It was an aching throbbing pain all throughout his torso, seeming to be connected to every muscle and tendon in his chest. It was like someone had taken a hot knife and drew their own rendition of a wound down Lelouch's torso. The entire line of his wound was in awful pain. It felt like it was even painful to breathe. "Oh God damn you, Suzaku!" Lelouch swore as he tried to sit up. The restraints were back on his wrists now stopping him but that didn't actually mean it did as he continued giving it a good try. His muscles all tensed throughout his body and his head spun as the pain though it seemed could not get any worse but consequently did. Now feeling as if the owner of the knife had seemed to decided that this picture of agony was better sketched out with the knife an inch deep in his skin, he hissed loudly. Lelouch blamed Suzaku for this misery.

"Well it would seem someone's awake!" Lloyd said. Lelouch cracked a patronizing eye to the all too amused man. The researcher hopped up from leaning on the opposite wall to come closer to Lelouch. "Suzaku if you would, please?" Lloyd asked as he reached the bed.

Suzaku nodded not looking away from Lelouch his hand reached up to the sheet. Lelouch was breathing hard as he looked down to watch Suzaku ever so gently tug the sheet down. Lelouch's eyes widened as he saw the long, though now closed, red slash from sternum to navel. The bandages were gone and his bare chest shone pale compared to Suzaku's own tanned hand still lying on the sheet. He was still hooked up to all the monitors and machines, unfortunately. the sticky little circles dotted his torso all with little wires relaying Lelouch's stats that flashed above them all in big bright numbers. Lloyd stepped to him reaching his equally pale hands down to lightly feel along the wound. Lelouch laid back as the researcher presented himself. He pressed his fingers along the long line. Lelouch watched him breathe catching in his throat. His touch was light but that didn't mean it was absent of pain. Nothing was absent of pain anymore.

"With any luck your scar will fade with time." Lloyd commented as he examined closer. Lelouch sat back giving a pained moan. Lloyd prodded a bit deeper as he continued downward. He adjusted is his glasses peering down at his fingers attentively like Lelouch's marred flesh fascinated him deeply. A few moments latter Lelouch felt Lloyds hands leave his skin and he looked back up at the man.

"Well you're all sealed up now." Lloyd said a smile on his face. "You won't be able to open that wound again without some sort of sharp object of some kind," he seemed as if he was going to stop there but rethought it and continued. "So don't try anything. It'll just cause more pain," the one thing Lelouch wasn't in short supply of. "And another fantastical save from Suzaku." Lloyd addressed Lelouch for the first time.

Lelouch nodded weakly, in acknowledgement.

"Good, I don't need you messing up our handy work twice now Lelouch so please if you're going to try to kill yourself again find alternative means." Lloyd continued.

"Lloyd." Suzaku said scolding.

"Don't get your panties in a bind. I'm simply stating a request, Zero." Lloyd replied. Lelouch blinked at the name use looking to Suzaku. He was again in Zero costume. His mask lay at the end of the bed, no doubt thrown there at some point, and simply left where it lie. Lelouch felt the urge to reach out and touch it. He immediately reprimanded himself. The mask was far from arms length away and more than that it wasn't his mask any longer… It was Suzaku's. He reaffirmed that in his mind repeating to himself that he had given the mask to Suzaku. he was no longer Zero, in fact he was the enemy of Zero. No the mask was no longer his. He had gracefully given it up and just as gracefully tried to bow out, but then that hadn't gone so smoothly. No not at all, he was here now. And lying nude under scratchy sheets in a hospital bed to which you were strapped, oh and constantly under surveillance was all in no way graceful.

"Well than I'll leave the two of you on your own." Lloyd said, no doubt noticing the silence that had slipped Lelouch's acknowledgment as he had pondered the mask. Lloyd stopped just at the door though. "Suzaku, he's not allowed food for a few more hours but when he is I would strongly suggest you get some in him, he's no doubt lost enough weight from the surgeries. He doesn't need that malnutrition to fight off as well." Then not waiting for Suzaku's reply he left the room the door pushing shut behind him.

Suzaku turned down to Lelouch before he raised his hand up to his mouth, then using his teeth he pulled the glove off and tentively moved the hand down to Lelouch. Lelouch watched him carefully. So much for not letting Suzaku close to you, he thought to himself. That had lasted a whole what? Hour at most? Then again it was already proven that the two couldn't seem to manage staying away from each other. A mere couple of day past the time when they were supposed to be separated permanently and here the two were close enough to touch yet again.

Suzaku's hand found its way down to Lelouch's neck and moved upwards tangling in ebony strands. Lelouch groaned and let his eyes slip closed. It had been a long set of days. And though he wouldn't admit it he was missing Suzaku. They had never been like this but still Suzaku had always been there at his side, if not as a friend than as his rival. Through it all he'd been there and shunning the knight took everything out of Lelouch now. If nothing else Lelouch wanted this small moment of accepting the soldier. He didn't want to have to push him away every three seconds. His mind screamed at him that this was the worst thing he could do now after everything. Letting Suzaku go this far with him without a good, long scolding would only invite the actions again. It was always so much easier a second time. But then again a second time could never come…especially since Lelouch had… He pushed the thoughts way. If nothing else now was when he needed to live in the present.

"Are you alright?" Suzaku asked softly.

Lelouch let his eyes drift half open to look at the boy. His hand was tangled in the black strands at the side of his face. Lelouch caught just enough of a glance of his knight before letting his eyes slip back shut.

"You stabbed me ." Lelouch said

Suzaku smiled and let out a tense chuckle. "I guess that was kind of a stupid question huh?"

"Not necessarily, if you would like to know how I feel I'm sure I could have something arranged." Lelouch countered.

Suzaku rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because you still have so many friendships you haven't slaughtered yet."

"Where's Cornelia?" Lelouch asked.

"She wouldn't help you." Suzaku growled, but lightly.

"All I got to do is get her mad then make sure that horned head of hers is pointed at you! Ha! We'll see who the stabbing victim is then!" Lelouch said with pride.

"Yeah and when I'm dead you will do what exactly?" Suzaku said.

"I think you simply forgot I already killed you once. You are already dead! We had a funeral and everything." Lelouch said with pride.

Suzaku laughed. "I watched that funeral!"

Lelouch cracked an eye up at him. "You watched your own funeral?"

"Well yeah, I was on your bed too."

Lelouch's brow came down. "You were on my bed? I told you that you could use my room, I don't recall saying a thing about my bed!"

"Boots and all." Suzaku mused, happily.

Lelouch didn't look happy. "I do on the contrary recall telling you specifically that your boots do not belong on my bed-"

"You weren't around to stop me."

Lelouch snorted. "I thought you are supposed to be my subordinate."

"You are obsessive compulsive." Suzaku pointed out.

"Some time's I wonder if you have ADD." Lelouch counted.

Suzaku laughed. He looked down at Lelouch his fingers lacing through those long locks.

"You know, I never knew how much I missed this banter of ours until you separated us." Suzaku said.

"Suzaku, I would prefer if we didn't discuss this now." Lelouch said quiet. He knew Suzaku hadn't liked it when Lelouch had ordered him to leave. He had too though. He needed to be alone then. He had ordered C.c. away long before that and well Suzaku was supposed to be dead he had to tell him to leave. It would have caused problems if he hadn't. Lelouch looked at Suzaku. He simply watched him. As always. Ever there. Nothing Lelouch could do about it. Lelouch let his eyes slide closed again.

"I—I'm sorry Lelouch, the way I acted yesterday, I didn't mean to—I shouldn't have acted like that knowing you were going under so soon." Suzaku said. The two were left with mutual silence as the words were flung out in to the still air. But Lelouch couldn't just let the words hang there like birds with no nest so he sighed and moved into Suzaku's hand. Just another moment he thought to himself. Suzaku was being so—just another moment. He didn't care about what Suzaku had to say , even what he had previously stated. He'd said he would end it and then he said he had saved Lelouch for Lelouch's sake. And yet it didn't add up. But Lelouch was done using his head from now on. No, that was a lie. He wanted to be done using his head, stopping it was another matter entirely. He'd built the perfect world and now he just wanted to end. Just end himself. Dilemma: Suzaku. Suddenly Lelouch opened his eyes looking directly up at Suzaku.

"You don't like other people touching me." he stated quietly.

"What?" Suzaku asked. His face wrinkled in confusion at the words.

"Lloyd asked for permission to touch me." Lelouch finished.

Suzaku was a bit taken back. He blinked several times. His hand withdrew from Lelouch's face to rest on the covers. "Lelouch he wasn't asking permission." Suzaku said.

"Than what was he doing?" Lelouch asked.

"A better question would be what are you implying?." Suzaku growled low.

"That maybe you aren't keeping quite a few promises you've made to me!" Lelouch hissed.

"I have done nothing to you!" Suzaku growled now.

"Yes of course not, and the fact that you haven't let anyone lay a finger on me unless you're here with me would suggest exactly that!" Lelouch snarled back at him.

Suzaku's eyes hardened. "It couldn't possibly be because I'm afraid you might end up dead if I don't?"

"And still for some reason you don't think I wouldn't prefer that over this alternative!"

"I'm sorry I don't want you dead!" Suzaku yelled at him.

The two halted. Lelouch pulled in a strained taunt breath as Suzaku averted his abruptly unreadable gaze. They were both worn out, Lelouch knew it. The past days were exhausting and of course, fighting with each other only added to that strain of exhaustion and weariness for the two former friends. They didn't want the conflict, neither of them, Lelouch concluded as another moment passed. Suzaku wasn't pressing the matter and neither was Lelouch. They already knew the outcome would just be their agreement to disagree. It was obvious how strained this relationship seemed to becoming especially now. They went from having light-hearted conversation to bickering in seconds.

Lelouch looked down to his bare chest before back up to Suzaku. "Is it done then? No more surgeries." Although Lelouch really wanted to know when he would finally be allowed some descent cloths for a change. Not that being naked constantly under a hospital sheet wasn't fun he would just prefer to not let anyone one who walked in the door to get a free show.

"Yes. You just have to heal now." Great news! To Lelouch that meant pants may yet be on the horizon!

"What will be done with me then?" Lelouch inquired.

Suzaku gave a sigh. "I'm not sure."

"Hmmm." Lelouch nodded and turned his head to the room. And now back to the more somber, he thought to himself. "How long has it been? Since I was killed, that is."

"Three and a half days." Suzaku said his hand slid again now to tangle in the ebony mane. Instantly accepting again of all his faults, Lelouch mused to himself. He wanted to snort at Suzaku's pathetic actions. No matter what he did Suzaku was always accepting. He'd destroyed everything dear to the boy and yet he was still there, still accepting Lelouch.

Lelouch glanced to Suzaku's outfit again. "What is Zero-?" he wasn't sure how to end the question.

"I'm leader of the Black Knights who have been set as the world's sole military force, or at least that's how it looks to be shaping up. With Britannia in a state of—well, a bit lacking of cooperation there are a few minor issues to take care of."

"Lack of cooperation?" Lelouch asked.

Suzaku gave a smile at that. "Haha, well you see they want Emperor Lelouch's body." He said lightly.

Lelouch's eyes went wide. "They what?"

Suzaku's smile softened just as his thumb brushing over Lelouch's cheek. "They want to have an official funeral for you actually. There's even a tomb set aside."

"But I burned—" Lelouch trailed off as the concept sunk in.

"It's actually quite amazing. The rebuilding of Pendragon, well at least the plans for it are all centered around your tomb." Suzaku said tangling his fingers through the ebony strands still.

"There's no way!" Lelouch said in shock.

"We're sorting it out as quickly as possible. Hopefully if we can we'll have Nunnally stated in as the Empress of Britannia or at least what's left of it after the splitting is all through."

"The splitting?" Lelouch inquired.

"Countries all over are taking back their names. Russia just asked to be let in to the federation actually just before this."

"I see." Lelouch said. "You must be really busy then."

Suzaku smiled down at the hostage emperor. "Well a little, but I'll stay as long as I can with you Lelouch." Suzaku's thumb stroked over Lelouch's pale cheek. Lelouch looked up into those midori eyes, carefully. How had they gotten to this point? All the two really had left was each other and then of course, the betrayal.

Lelouch let a smile flicker and laid back into Suzaku's hand. A full smile blossomed on Suzaku's face as he let himself lean ever so much closer. He pulled the other glove off with his teeth again. He let the glove then drop to land at Lelouch's chest and he stretched out his hand to the other side of Lelouch's face. Lelouch let his eyes close as he felt Suzaku lace his fingers through his hair. He was cupping his face ever so lightly and with that light touch he was pulling Lelouch in. The friends stayed like that for a long moment together. Suzaku gently stroking at Lelouch's cheek with his thumb and Lelouch simply lying there letting him. The peace settled though out the room dusting the air with its light rays as the seconds trickled past. Lelouch gave a content sighed. Suzaku leaned farther forward resting on his elbows his body lying apart from Lelouch's but not by much.

Abruptly then the moment was broken. The buzz of Suzaku's phone on the opposite counter alerted them both immediately. Suzaku said nothing as he slid away from Lelouch pulling his hands with him as he stood and retrieved the phone.

"This is Zero." He said into the cell.

Lelouch watched Suzaku as there was mumbling on the other end of the line. Lelouch let another smile flicker. Suzaku really had taken to his role. Just like that he had assumed his responsibility and was now more than playing the part. Lelouch did have to admit the soldier did fill out the costume much better then Lelouch ever did. Then again Suzaku actually fills cloths out. Unlike Lelouch whose slight form made as if the cloths were simply hanging off his slender shoulders.

"I see. Is Cornelia there already?" Suzaku said into the phone.

Lelouch looked to find the gloves still on the bed. He reached for them before realizing that the restraints were back on his wrists. He sighed and decided to let Suzaku just come to retrieve them.

"Alright, and Nunnally?"

Lelouch really perked at this his head snapping to Suzaku. The man leaned against the counter looking to the floor, lost in his own thought. Lelouch's eyes ran over the costume yet again. It was devastatingly dark blue from head to toe. The cape was draped over a chair near the corner of the room, the gloves one on Lelouch's chest he other at his side and the mask was at Lelouch's feet. Every piece of Zero was littered around him yet the mask had been passed on to another.

"How long, do you know?" Suzaku spoke.

More mumbles from the other end,

"I'll be there as quickly as I can." Suzaku said standing.

"No, its fine," he said before pulling the cape from the chair.

"Have the accommodations been prepared, yet?" Suzaku asked more stern now.

"With in the week most likely."

It was softer mumbles this time.

"No, I don't think they would go that far."

Suzaku looked to Lelouch now. "Of Course, send her up I'll be ready momentarily." With that Suzaku shut the phone and continued back to Lelouch. He brushed his hand across Lelouch's face before retrieving the gloves and pulling them on.

"I have to go." Suzaku said as he fastened the cape around his neck.

"Will Nunnally be there?" Lelouch asked solemnly.

"Yes. The issue of the nobles is coming to a head." Suzaku explained finishing with the cape and retrieving the mask.

"The nobles?" Lelouch asked.

"Yeah, now that you are 'dead' they want their titles back at least in Britannia they do." Suzaku said standing straight. "Today hopefully an agreement that can satisfy the nobles and the citizens of Britannia can be reached. If all goes well we may even be moving back to Pendragon." Suzaku said with a smile.

"It was destroyed." Lelouch said.

"And is in the midst of being rebuilt." Suzaku said with a smile still. He dusted a hand through Lelouch's fringe gently. "I'll be back later. Try to get some more sleep. You've been through a lot lately." Suzaku then raised the mask to his face. Lelouch watched as Zero stood before him.

"I'll see you then." Lelouch said softly.

He knew Suzaku was smiling as he combed his fingers through Lelouch's ebony strands. The two didn't look away as the sound of the door sliding open hissed into the air.

"Zero?" a voice interrupted the farewell from the door.

Suzaku's hand still intertwined in his hair Lelouch looked over to see the tall bronze person that was Villetta Nu.

"Your escort is here." Villetta spoke.

"Very well." Zero said and slowly pulled his fingers from the tangle of Lelouch's hair. He walked past the woman and out of the room. Villetta stayed her golden eyes locked on Lelouch.

"Villetta." Lelouch said in acknowledgement.

"Lelouch." She said back.

Lelouch watched her as they both stayed silent for a moment.

"Lord Jeremiah said you were still alive." She spoke softly. "I have to say I didn't believe him until now."

Lelouch nodded. "Unfortunately, yes, I am still of this world."

"He also said you tried to end it once you realized that you were still alive." Villetta said, her eyes had softened now as she looked at him.

"I did." Lelouch answered.

"I see." Villetta spoke quietly again. She turned to go before stopping. She looked up and at Lelouch again. "Thank you."

Lelouch perked a bit. "For what?" he asked her.

"Without you Kaname and I…we're to be married soon and… thank you, for giving him to me." And with that she left the door whooshing shut behind her. Lelouch sighed and looked to the ceiling. So mush in so little time. Thank yous, death threats, Loyalties re-established. He wasn't sure that anything was impossible now.

* * *

C.C. watched as the Japanese city zoomed past the train car window. The city had been rebuilt and was now stronger and prouder than it had ever been. Most of it had been in part to Lelouch. She leaned her head against the window looked out across the metallic, gleaming landscape. She sighed deeply as the sun reflecting scene seemed to beam back at her. The car entered a tunnel and thrust the car into darkness. She, bored and growing restless, flopped back into her seat.

Lelouch had made a promise to her. It had seemed so long ago now. Being thrown from his side and told to leave hadn't shocked her. Lelouch wanted her out of the politics is the only explanation she could think of for his rude behavior. Of course, it had worked. C.c. had been around the world and back again by now and all completely unnoticed. Her identity had remained safe and sound as she had been set free to do whatever she wished now. She smiled at that; freedom was a loose term to her. But then again, Lelouch was giving her freedom now. He was giving her his promise now.

The train whizzed thought the station now slowing gradually. C.c. looked through the thick windows glass. Finally she was at her destination. The massive train station buzzed with people and the train slowed dramatically down. C.c. stood and reached above her to the small suitcase. The sharp buzz of the inter come system kicked on as the train came to a full halt.

"Tokyo central…" the perfect feminine announcer's voice drawled on about the current and future stops.

C.c. stepped from the car. The hall was crowded with overly enthusiastic Elevens—no, Japanese now—all trying to get out of the train. C.c. watched emotionless as always. She had for once chosen as non-descriptive of clothing as possible. She was here to be discrete, she didn't need the unneeded attention of all the humans as they celebrated what they called a victory. C.c. stepped into the already filled slender hallway. It was clear it was going to take a bit of time to even exit the train.

Three full days was all it had taken C.c. to get to Japan. At first, the trip seemed it was only going to take less than a day or so, and then the surge had hit. Japan had over night become the central of the whole world. And within that very day it had been announced that Tokyo would be the new capital for the Federation of Nations. And now with Pendragon's rebuilding and reformation on the way, it had been announced that Tokyo would be made into its sister city. London would soon join that sisterhood as well. A true world order was quickly emerging and C.c. wasn't sure if she liked it or not. Something in the back of her mind nagged at her of how easily the whole thing could crumble… She absently wondered if Lelouch's precious Kururugi realized that as well.

C.c. finally reached the door. The world was reseeding back to how it should be and yet it was progressing, an odd contradiction, but a very old one. Countries were re-establishing themselves, and all were rushing to join into the Federation. C.c. couldn't help herself from wondering if this really was the world that Lelouch had been dreaming of. As C.c. stepped off of the train she was hit with the massive amount of sound. People filled the transit center like never before, all around the large screens lining the walls and some holographic simply floating videos in the air. All on one subject, the Reformation, as it had been termed by the media stations around the world. C.c.'s eyes flashed from video to video as she walked out into the open crowded space. One video was broadcasting the face of Zero, then Nunnally, then the Chinese empress, the speaker explained the roles of each in the coming Reformation. Another replayed the Assassination. Another talked on one of the Conferences being held in Hong Kong, another in Russia, but through it all C.c. only stopped for one. The massive screen was directly over the entrance of the transit center.

"Today, the Britannian Empire issued another more pending demand for the body of the former world emperor Lelouch vi Britannia. Thus far, as with the other numerous demands, Zero has failed to answer it. It is unclear what exactly has happened to the body of the former emperor." A smaller video box appeared to the male broadcaster's right. In it was the images of the Assassination replay. "As we watch this we can quite clearly see that the body did in fact fall to the bottom of the float unit. From there it can be seen that the body was covered completely and was then taken by the Black Knight's upon Zero's orders to the newly rebuilt Tokyo Imperial Central Building. From there it was reported that the Emperor was in fact dead before ever entering the building. The Black Knights have said that the body was quote 'disposed of with full knowledge of consequences' end quote. Despite this the Britannian Empire has continued its insistence that the body is indeed still in the custody of the Black Knights and that it is their right to take it back to the homeland."

C.c. looked back from the large screen to the entrance. The broadcast had been more helpful than she would have imagined. She walked now with purpose as she exited the still overly crowded streets. C.c. stopped though. A large majority of the people were all moving to the Imperial Central Building. C.c. might have just gotten lucky she mused to herself. She pulled the caddy hat she wore slightly down a bit more to hide under the small visor. The crowds were all surging forward through the streets.

"Hot Pizza!" A Japanese teen yelled into the crowd from his small cart. C.c. stopped. Pizza or Lelouch? That really wasn't even a question.

She stepped forward.

"Hello, ma'am you want a hot dog or some ice-cream or—"

"No, Pizza." she said interrupting the boy. "I want Pizza."

"Oh, alright." The boy said then looked at C.c. a little harder.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Probably not." C.c. said her eyes watching as he took a hot slice of that warm beautiful, heavenly, bread dough covered in pizza sauce and cheese out of the little hot box.

the boy placed the cheesy pizza on the small plate still looking a bit in thought. "Oh wait! You were here before!" he exclaimed.

"Excuse me?" C.c. said. The only thing on her mind was along the lines of… Pizza. Pizza. Pizza! Get the pizza. Then get Lelouch. Of course, get the pizza first. Always get the pizza first. Pizza , pizza, pizza!

"You used to come all the time!" the boy exclaimed a bright smile on his face.

C.c. just looked at him and reached for the plate he offered out to her.

"Hey can I ask you a question?" the boy said suddenly with a bright smile.

"Uhm," C.c. mumbled cheese already stringing from her mouth to the pizza in her hand.

"Can I have your number?" the boy asked.

"What?" she stammered over her mouthful.

"Your number can I have it?"

"All I want is Pizza!" she exclaimed.

The boy looked at her a little confused for a moment. "So is that a yes?"

"No!" C.c. yelled, after swallowing. "I just wanted pizza!"

"I can make you lots of pizza!" the boy said his smile getting bright.

C.c. was now in a predicament. "That's nice but really I'm fine." She said as she turned to go. Pizza, now Lelouch. She reaffirmed to herself.

"Oh come on, please give me your number!"

"Just pizza!" C.c. just let out and walked faster away.

She assumed her search, of course, now with pizza. She wasn't sure if she was happy about the pizza or not, especially after what just happened. The crowd surged faster now down the streets. As they got closer C.c. noticed that the roads had been blocked off. Police were monitoring the crowds as the motioned the crowd on to the field that stretched out before the tall Central Building. C.c. worked her way forward when most started to slow. The field had been converted in like a massive auditorium. Rows and rows of seating set out as she got closer t the platform standing within the large courtyard of the building.

Atop the platform sat the world forming rulers. Zero, Nunnally, the Chinese Empress, Kaguya, and many other country representatives. Off to either side of the platform were about five rows of people also, among them was Cornelia, Schneizel, Gottwald, Le Xing, and many, many others. C.c.'s eyes widened as she watched Zero standing at the pulpit. She felt the pang in her chest, but quickly her eyes just narrowed. It wasn't her Lelouch, and would never be again. That was the premises of her being here. The reason she was here. Lelouch hadn't showed up and now she was here.

That didn't' stop it though. The gut feeling that gnawed at her insides. She knew that there was such a great possibility of this happening, but Lelouch had stated himself that there wasn't much way around it. They just had to pray that things went according to plan. But the feeling was there and it was eating at her with viciousness. The television broadcast, all of it—this wasn't going well. She already knew it and now she just had to find out exactly what had happened.

"People of the free world!" the imposter addressed the congregated nations. C.c. started to walk faster to the front of the field. She needed a good look at this intruder of her Zero. She already knew that face, that build they had worked to hide under that cloak, but she needed closer. She needed to make absolutely sure. If one thing was out of whack, there was a possibility other things may be as well. She weaved through the masses and closer to the stage. "I, Zero, am here to introduce to you the new candidate for the Britanian Empire, Empress Nunnally vi Britannia! She has been chosen by us your counsel of the Federation of Nations!"

C.c. stopped these words were all sounding all too familiar. They sounded like a style she could pick out in her sleep.

"Lelouch." She spoke to herself. Several people around her turned at the sound, half looked violent at the mention of the name and the other half confused or curious. Before her now was one of the remains of her Lelouch. The speeches upon speeches Lelouch had written, for a whole array of situations, had been astounding. Lelouch had even tried to put the whole process into a formula of how to sound like him, for the situations he knew he'd over look or simply would just arise. She had to shake herself out of it. The emotion of loneliness had gnawed at C.c. for far too long. She hated to admit it but she just wanted the comfort of seeing Lelouch's face and knowing he indeed was going to keep his promise to her. She, rather brash to those around her, pushed forward until she was around ten to twenty feet from the pulpit.

She looked up to the imposter again. She had to say, she never cared much for the Kururugi boy. Then again, he'd never shown much of a liking to her either. The clapping and whooping had started as Zero had gestured to the small new empress. C.c.'s eyes went wide as she caught on to those deep blue orbs. Nunnally had opened her eyes. She had broken Charles's Geass. It was a mild something she had wondered about, but never thought possible. A smile was twisting at her lips though. The world around her had yet to cease to amaze her throughout all these long years.

C.c. took a few more confident steps forward to the base of the stage. An associate looked to be helping Nunnally to the stage, wheeling her chair from behind. The cheering only increased as the girl reached the microphone. Zero, who stood next to her, clapped as well. The masked face was turned to her as the frail girl beamed over the crowd.

"Hello everyone!" Nunnally said into the microphone. It was met with louder cheers.

C.c. wasn't surprised. Lelouch had often mentioned to her how his little sisyer would make such a great empress. He had also stated how the world would simply adore her. C.c. gave a click of her tongue at that—as always, he was right. C.c. looked from the girl back to Zero who had taken a step back. A chant of Nunnally's name started to ripple through the crowd. C.c. gritted her teeth as she watched the display. A cat like stare locked onto the dark blue form. The Kururugi boy was a problem and if he wasn't he had to be involved.

"Marching ever Onward to Tomorrow!" She abruptly yelled out. She was thankful that Lelouch had been so candid with her there at the end, especially about his former lover. It was barely heard over the loud chants of the gentle girls name but it had worked. The masked man's head shot to C.c. A smile blossomed on the green-haired girls face. He looked directly at her for a moment. His claps died down slowly. No it was most certainly not Lelouch under that mask because Lelouch wouldn't have broken his façade for the world. C.c. smiled wider at the thought. In fact, Lelouch had quite literally kept his façade for the sake of the world. No, the Kururugi boy would never be able to amount to anything near what Lelouch had.

The imposer looked at C.c. directly. His hands were still now. C.c. let him get a good look at her. She stared him down. She had a hunch about the boy and she wouldn't back down from this fight in the slightest. Zero abruptly turned and briskly walked off the stage. No one paid much attention as Nunnally started her speech. C.c. didn't care much either as she watched Zero walk quickly around the stage and to the back. She turned away from the stage herself. And now slower she worked her way back. That half-wit had gotten the message, loud and clear and it was now time for her to disappear.

She stopped abruptly. There standing a few feet away starring at her was Mr. CanIhaveyournumber.

"Hey!" he said and started at her.

"Err—" She started to step to her right.

"Hey come on! If you want I can just call you Pizza!"

C.c. scrambled through the crowd. Now she had to get rid of this lame sauce. She was going to kill Lelouch when she finally got her hands on him!

* * *

_Okay, guys I got to stop there or a whole other can of worms is going to open and this chapter will never end. I am sorry the last half with C.c. is pretty much boring. I get it I got bored as well writing it, but it's needed for plot progression. Thank you guys so much for all the reviews last time and for all the ones this week. You are all awesome! As for a question for this week. Okay so at the first of this chapter I told you midori means green in Japanese. It should, at least, since like three sources told me it did…including wiki…if wiki is wrong I'm an idiot with a bunch of wrong information in my head. The thing is I needed a new tea kettle this week cause mine broke and a morning without Earl Gray or Chai is like a morning from hell for me, so I went to Ross to get one and there was a Midori Tea Kettle there and it was blue…not green, the box specifically said Midori Kettle. It was either a stroke of pure divine intervention or one really weird cowinkydink. I bought the kettle, cause it looked cool anyway and I've already mentioned me without tea is not a pretty sight. So two Questions. Does anyone know what a Midori Kettle is or is supposed to be used for, by chance? It would be my luck that I buy a faulty kettle or something. And Question two, have you ever had a funny mix up like that? Tell me your story I want to know! _

_Anyway, hope you guys like the story, leave me a review if you like and have the time telling me what you like and what you don't, and if you want you can answer my question! Have a great Weekend guys and see ya next week. _

_Side Note 1: I just started on chapter five and the date posted at the top say's Happy Halloween next to it then I realized that this will be the first chapter up after Halloween, Soooooooooo HAPPY HALLOWEEN! …like two weeks ago…_

_Side Note 2: I am looking for a Beta reader… several. In fact it's not even a Beta reader really…more like partners in crime. Yeah that sounds much better. Anyway, so what I'm really looking for is line by line feedback. I want someone to take every chapter of this and ripe it into confetti before telling me how to make it better. I want opinions. I want to bounce ideas back and forth. I want well worth critics. I warn any of you who are thinking of going for this that I take criticism kind of like how I would drink dish soap. I don't like it, but unlike dish soap I need it. I want this story to be as good as I can get it to be and I know the best way to do so is let all my hard work get mutilated before my very eyes. Like I said I want multiple partners in crime here, so there will probably be more than one of you. I need someone who can handle upper-level grammar as well, since mine slips constantly and I read over grammar mistakes without even so much as a pause. This all sounds very confusing…uhm I want to form a Fan Fiction Mafia. That sounds a lot cooler than the rest of this paragraph…So if you are interested in joining my mafia centered around getting the best story possible out of this than message me. If not, Have a Great Weekend!_

_Side Note 3: "Marching Ever onward to Tomorrow!" That line is the starting interface for the Lancelot. _


	4. Best Friend, Worst Rival

_Thank you all for the wonderful downpour of reviews and compliments! I would say you really didn't have too, but I like getting them all too much! Haha! Anyway you guys are all awesome and thank you, thank you, thank you , thank you, thank you, thank you! …oh and did I mention thank you!_

_Now to what you all clicked on this for, Story Time! Would anyone like me to read it out loud to them? Haha! Oh it way too late in the night for me to be writing a competent authors note, haha! Therefore I will end, Enjoy!_

* * *

The Amethyst King

Chapter Four

Best Friend, Worst Rival

10/23/2010 2:41 AM

"It's okay, Lelouch," it was the first thing Lelouch really registered as he came slowly awake. He was getting very tired of being woken up every time he finally could relax enough to go to sleep in the first place. Sleep was in no way coming easy to Lelouch lately. Lloyd had restricted his morphine usage down to the very minimum, which meant none. With his current size and predicament Lloyd was afraid of Lelouch becoming dependent on the medication. Lelouch, on the other hand, might find that preferable. He would toss and turn or at least he would try his hardest to toss and turn. The shoulder restraints hadn't been replaced but the one's on his wrists hadn't come off and because of those laying on his side was impossible without having to bend one arm around his back awkwardly. Then there was the wound. It made all stomach muscles inaccessible. Any use of said muscles resulted in an enormous amount of agony. So it was only after hours of attempting to get comfortable and more hours in which he would simply give up and concentrate on clearing his thoughts enough to finally relax. After all this he would finally out of pure exhaustion crash into the deepest sleep he'd ever experienced. That ladies and gentleman was a night for Lelouch vi Britannia.

Lelouch groaned as he felt Suzaku's hands at his shoulder's. He tried very hard to turn away from the soldier only to be met with Suzaku's overpowering strength.

"Come on, Lelouch." He spoke softly, repeating his name to hopefully keep him conscious.

"No," Lelouch still half asleep groaned as Suzaku lifted him just a little, just enough to get him awake.

Suzaku laughed lightly. "It's alright. I'll let you sleep again in just a moment."

Lelouch sighed heavily before cracking an eye open. He abruptly gasped.

"Suzaku, where…?" the question died on his lips as he was made aware of his surroundings.

Lelouch let Suzaku help him to painfully sit up. More than anything he wanted to be able to get a good sense of the new room. It was much more open than the previous one he had been occupying. There were three beds. Two were against the right walls, one of which was inhabited by Lelouch himself. The other was on the opposite wall. The other two beds were bare, made neatly, and had no equipment next to them. Lelouch's was fully manned with the monitors and screens, readings and IV's. Lelouch looked behind him to find the large window. They were on a second floor again it appeared and the view was very familiar to him. They were at the Tokyo Imperial Central Building. The building he had rebuilt. He'd spent his last night in the Imperial quarters here.

"Alright there calm down." Suzaku said a bit panicked as Lelouch, forgetting his current aliment, went to move his feet onto the tile floor. He laughed a bit seeming relieved as Lelouch stopped his actions. "Let's not try walking just yet." Lelouch didn't answer only looked around him once more.

The room was so bright with the large paneled window that he was amazed. The small window of his former room had seemed to hamper the light more than broadcast it as this one did. The light made it all seem so much more white and bright. Lelouch gripped Suzaku carefully and let him help him into a proper sitting position. It took some maneuvering but after a few grunts and groans of pain Lelouch finally, triumphantly found himself sitting up against the headboard. Several pillows had been stuffed behind him to shield his wound, but hey, he wasn't going to think about that small secret. His abdomen was on fire from the pain, but he realized that this is the first time in the past few days that he had actually been in a sitting position.

"The Imperial building?" Lelouch asked a bit skeptical.

Suzaku gave a bit of an amused smile. "Well it's just referred to as the Tokyo Central Building now, but yeah." He scratched the back of his head a bit bashful.

Lelouch looked out to the window. The ever thoughtful Suzaku had purposely put him in the bed closest to the window he was sure of it. He did have to admit he was grateful for it. In the last room he had felt trapped, cornered. Now even just looking out across the Military courtyards he simply had to smile. Lelouch had been moved to a military Infirmary of all places. He'd helped to design this building, with Suzaku's help, of course. He'd never even thought about it but now from this view he would be able to see the sun setting. He smiled. It was very appropriative he couldn't help but think.

"And the reason for the move?" Lelouch asked not looking away from the window.

"I'm here more and more it seems and well, going between the hospital and here was getting a bit hectic." He said leaning back. Lelouch's eyes flashed to him. Suzaku was leaning over his legs, he sat on the side of the bed leaning back on his arms on the others side of Lelouch's thighs. They were getting way too comfortable with this, he thought to himself. He abruptly pushed the thought away. It didn't matter now.

"Now I'll just be a couple floors away." Suzaku mused, Lelouch wondered if it was really to him or more likely to himself. Suzaku pulled his eyes back from the window to look at Lelouch. "I'll be able to be here more now." Suzaku said. Lelouch wasn't sure how to react. It wasn't like he had exactly left him on his own much before. But at the same time Lelouch couldn't say anything. He could simply just look up at his companion. Suzaku had a wide natural smile blossomed on his face, his eyes soft leafy green. They shined like dew in the morning sun. Lelouch's mouth opened slightly. He was quite certain that he couldn't let this go any farther. He couldn't let them continue down a road where both of them had in mind a completely different destination.

"Suzaku—" Lelouch started.

Abruptly there was a buzzing from Suzaku's phone again. It was sitting on the small table at Lelouch's side. Suzaku turned from Lelouch to it. He grabbed it answered and leaned back still on one arm on the other side of Lelouch's legs.

"Hello?" he said in to the small cell. Lelouch's eyes wondered up to notice it was a different phone than before. He whipped his head back to see there had previously been two phones on the side table. The one that was still on the table was a black, dark blue lined phone. Lelouch looked back to Suzaku. A white, gold lined phone was in his hand and pressed to his ear.

"No, I'm upstairs." Suzaku said into the mobile. The difference in the phone had drawn Lelouch's attention to Suzaku now. He was dressing in his Warrant Officers Uniform now. The orange and black uniform was pressed and primed much better than he knew Suzaku could ever accomplish, but it was indeed an Officers uniform.

"Me and Lloyd are going to start on it as soon as he gets here." he spoke again.

"What?" he suddenly said jumping a bit. It scared Lelouch slightly as he himself found his body jilt. It of course, didn't cause Suzaku as much pain as it did Lelouch. "You mean now as in like… now now?" Suzaku said his face turning a mix between surprise and dread.

"Well, no actually I don't think it's a good idea." He said a bit exasperated. "Can't you just wait for Lloyd? I mean Lelouch hasn't even ate this morning." His expression flipped his brow creased as it came down to a hard line over his eyes. "What is that supposed to mean? Lloyd isn't bias!"

Lelouch watched amused as Suzaku struggled his way through the conversation.

"Lloyd will be here within the hour!" Suzaku stammered. "Yes, I think you should wait!" Suzaku ordered now. "You're where?" his eyes widened. He sighed deep. "Alright, give us a minute." His eyes hardened. "What is that supposed to mean?" he barked. "Excuse me? …NO, THAT IS NOT THE STATE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP!" Suzaku growled, mostly out of surprise into the mobile device.

"Hey don't you—hang up on me." Suzaku said with another sigh. He snapped the phone shut and pocketed it.

"Interesting conversation," Lelouch observed. What else was he really supposed to say to that anyhow?

"Roland is coming up." Suzaku said, looking down a moment before getting to his feet.

"And Roland is?" Lelouch asked watching the soldier as he straightened.

"He's the doctor that's been over your medical care." Suzaku said and grabbed the other phone from the table pocketing that as well.

"I see." Lelouch said.

"He shouldn't be here long, or at least I don't expect him to be." Suzaku said as he went to the side drawers. Crouching down he started to rummage through them. "Regardless, I know he will have an escort and well, Jeremiah is otherwise occupied at the moment, so..." he trailed off standing. Lelouch saw the cloth in his hands.

"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request." He said.

Suzaku looked up, his big leafy eyes wet and soft as with a slight frown he presented his weapon to Lelouch.. "I promise, it won't be for very long" He said still wearing that atomic bomb for a persuasive face.

"No Restraints," Lelouch pointed out. Suzaku smiled broader at him. "I'm not promising I won't take it off."Lelouch said perfectly sober.

"I doubt you would pull something while I'm here."

Lelouch let a smile flicker as well. "I am a hardened criminal."

Suzaku stepped to him sliding on to the side of the bed smoothly to place himself in direct confrontation of Lelouch. "I can handle you." He said as he slid a hand up to the ebony locks.

Lelouch tensed. They were getting far too close now, he was sure of it. He couldn't do this to Suzaku now. He had refused him before he could do it now he was sure, but at the same moment. He rationalized to himself. If everything went as he planned these moments could possibly, just maybe be his gift to Suzaku… or a torture to him. He forced his muscles sooth as Suzaku slid closer. His hand molded with the side of Lelouch's face. His feather light touch was like he was holding diamonds in Lelouch's eyes. Lelouch needed a diversion if he didn't want o cause any more damage.

"What's with the cloths?" he asked causally.

Suzaku smiled broad, he pulled away holding his arms out. "Meet Earl Edmund Queldryk! Son of the late Earl Latimer Queldryk! I am a good hearted nineteen year-old that has joined the remnants of the Britannian Military in hopes of helping put back together the world!"

Lelouch couldn't help the laugh that burst from his mouth.

"What?" Suzaku asked an equally amused smile on his face.

"Edmund Queldryk? You couldn't come up with anything better than Queldryk?" Lelouch stammered still caught in laughter. "The name reminds me of the word Quack!" His laughter started again with a new fold now.

"We needed a cover for me and Earl Latimer passed away not but a month ago… his son's really is still alive, but the point is I am his new son!" Lelouch laughed more now.

"Latimer?" He said between wheezes. "It sounds like Lavender Quack!"

Suzaku just sat there for a moment, he didn't look amused. "I don't think I see what's so funny."

"You should, you're the son of Earl Lavender Quack!" Lelouch chuckled.

"Edmund! My name is Edmund—"

"Quack?" Lelouch cut in with a sly smile.

"Queldryk!" Suzaku insisted. "Edmund Queldryk." He said crossing his arms. It just started another wave of laughter from Lelouch.

"Eddy Quack, son of Lavender Quack! Oh that will be the perfect introduction!" he had to stop to catch his breath. "You should sign all your letters that way!"

"You know there weren't very many earls that have died within the last year that have had son's around my age." Suzaku said trying to gain some of his own lost pride back. Lelouch had to give him credit, getting the new nickname of Eddy Quack must be amazingly horrifying…Lelouch didn't plan on letting that new found title go to waste anytime soon!

Lelouch calmed himself as he looked at the soldier… or should he say earl? "Where is his real son?"

Suzaku looked down sheepishly. "Well we're not sure really. The last report was he was in Bali working at a coffee hut."

"Bali?" Lelouch asked still smiling. Another round of laughter was at the tip of his tongue now. "Are you serious?"

"It's not my fault Earl Lavender—I mean Latimer," that was all it took and Lelouch had burst in to another bout of laughs. It was one thing for him to say it but for Suzaku to slip up just made it that much more funny. "Anyway," Suzaku continued seeming rather perturbed at Lelouch's lack of attention.

"No! No! let me guess!" Lelouch cut in. "the real Edmund Quack, fell in love with a devastatingly beautiful kitchen servant while he was home for one long summer and then thought up a brilliant scheme so he and his mistress could run away and be together.." He had to catch his breath again from his quiet laughs. "And of course the only logical place to go would have to be Bali!" Lelouch looked to a still rather perturbed Suzaku. Who was silent…and remained silent. Lelouch waited for a moment for Suzaku to say something. Nothing came and the stone hard expression on Suzaku's face wasn't going anywhere either.

"You have got to be kidding me." Lelouch said and went to laugh, only this time it came out as a squeak. He'd forgotten that a few days before he's had a sword shoved through his diaphragm.

"Hahaha!" Now Suzaku found his laugh. "Who's quacking now!"

"Regardless, you are taking the place of an airhead!" Lelouch put in. "Who is in Bali with the Kitchen Servant!"

"Well…" Suzaku said looking to the ceiling evasively.

"Oh no, let me at this again—"

"No!" Suzaku barked. "I've had enough of your outrageous hypotheses."

"She left him stuck in Bali, didn't she?" Lelouch chuckled.

"Shut up!" Suzaku growled looking away.

"Oh and it gets better cause since he left all his rights to nobility in Britannia and he is stuck in Bali! Now she's in the homeland with some about to drop dead baron!" Lelouch went on.

Suzaku didn't answer for a moment before he described to concede to the madness of Lelouch's humor. "It's actually Gino's uncle."

Lelouch stopped short of that, "Oh really? Well isn't this getting better all the time. Wow, Eddy you have one interesting family."

"Yeah, cause yours is so much better." Suzaku jabbed, having his own chuckle now.

"Well most of mine is dead." Lelouch pointed out. Then he smiled. "Are you at least looking for the real Eddy?"

"Edmund!" Suzaku corrected before he waited a moment to continue. "That could kind of, sort of, may be why Gino isn't here at the moment."

Lelouch was a bit surprised. "Right, so he can go find Eddy the jilted nobleman working in a coffee shop—"

"Hut! Get it right Lelouch, it's a hut!" Suzaku said smiling.

"My apologies, coffee hut, to inform him that his identity has been stolen and that he has to stay in Bali for the rest of his life and that he is no longer the Earl Eddy Quack, and oh yeah that he has been replaced by someone else also who is supposed to be dead, did I get that right?"

"Well we aren't going to force him.." Suzaku said sheepishly.

"You sent Gino."Lelouch pointed out.

"Yeah, cause he's really friendly—"

"Right a death threat with a smile!" Lelouch cut him off.

"Now we aren't going to kill him!" Suzaku stammered.

"That's right, I mean technically you've already taken his identity so what good would killing him do, he's just Eddy from Bali now!"Lelouch said holding in a laugh again.

"You're impossible." Suzaku said, despite the broad smile played out on his face.

"_You're_ the one who 'saved' _me_." Lelouch said.

The key pad at the door beeped then loudly. The two looked to it. 'Locked' was flashing rapidly announcing that someone wanted entrance.

"Oh I almost forgot." Suzaku said. "One second!" he yelled to the door. He quickly turned to Lelouch. The former emperor leered at the blind fold as Suzaku raised it up.

"I'll take it off the second Roland leaves, I swear." He said and without much more adieu pulled it over Lelouch's eyes, tying it from behind. The door beeped loudly again.

"I'm coming." Suzaku said and Lelouch could hear as he went to the door. It opened with a whoosh a second later and the heavy footsteps he guessed were that of Roland.

"Morning Kururugi," Roland said, confirming Lelouch's hunch. It was the same new voice h had heard the first night. Then there was something he didn't expect. "Good morning your Highness!" there was no mockery in the voice as the words were spoken. Lelouch wished he could see the man's face so he could really get a grip on what he was meaning to him.

"Good morning," Lelouch stammered out, still taken back.

He heard a chuckle, "Do I hear a lack of conviction? Really from the teen who managed to conquer the world?" Roland went on. Lelouch flushed a little. This man was as bad as Lloyd. No wonder the two were at odds. All they would need is Rakshata and the three musketeers would be complete, and just as comical, he was afraid.

"Err—" Lelouch wasn't sure what to say.

"Roland." Suzaku said with all the conviction Lelouch seemed to be lacking.

"It's alright, Guard dog, I'm just keeping it light." Lelouch heard as the heavy steps of Roland continued to the bed. It sounded as if something was put on the side table. Lelouch started as he felt the bed shift as Suzaku sat at his side. Lelouch hadn't heard him approach.

"It's just me." Suzaku hummed and slid a hand over his leg.

"I'm sure that so affectionately termed Earl of Pudding has gotten to him before me?" Roland said in his deep voice, it was light with cheer but deep enough Lelouch was sure he wouldn't have any trouble using it for intimidation purposes.

"He beat you by a day." Suzaku mused, his hand rubbed on the covers over Lelouch's thigh. Lelouch felt a flush rising again. Suzaku was not only starting to take things a little far he wasn't exactly being discreet about it either.

"Ah! That little rat! And in my own hospital to boot!" Roland was in no way ever quiet Lelouch decided.

Lelouch tensed as he felt the sheet pulled from over him. The cursed blindfold was putting him on edge. He stifled the urge to reach up and pull the thing off. He felt Suzaku rubbing at his leg a little gentler. His fingers slipped briefly to the inside of Lelouch's thigh.

"It's alright Lelouch." Suzaku comforted or at least he tried. Lelouch wasn't feeling very comforted. If he didn't know for absolutely assuredly that the actions would put him through a great amount of pain he would have punched the former officer then. Roland wasn't what was making him nervous. He would need to do something about Suzaku as soon as possible. He couldn't have the other flashing off this kind of relationships, especially to Zero's subordinates.

Lelouch felt as Roland started at the wound same as Lloyd had done. Lelouch closed his eyes behind the blind fold. He noted to himself that as soon as possibly he would also have to demand actual cloths from Suzaku. Especially now that the surgeries were over, he saw no reason why clothing wouldn't be on Suzaku's priority list for him. Then again his actions explained that enough to him. clothing would just get in the way.

"Even with Britannian Bio-medics, You'll still have a scare I'm afraid." Roland said, pulling Lelouch back.

"A Scar?" Lelouch said quietly, it was more to himself than anything else. Lloyd had mentioned it but he just realized. He'd never really gotten a scar before, well no he had little ones but nothing big.. nothing that could compare to a stabbing right though his middle that was for sure.

"A pretty nasty one at that. Suzaku wasn't exactly gentle with you." Roland drawled.

"For the second time I was focused on vital organs! Vitals! I didn't care if he had a scar just so long as I knew he'd have enough time to discreetly get him to a medic!" Suzaku said. Lelouch felt as he took his hand from his leg.

"You stuck him…besides you should already know how fragile the boy was—from previous activit—"

"Roland." Suzaku growled.

"Of course, my deepest apologies, for your Knights apathetic actions, if he was a real man he would have had you taken into custody a little differently—"

"That is not what I meant!" Suzaku snarled. Lelouch wasn't sure if Roland's flippant nature was amusing or something that could cause his plans some disastrous problems.

"Oh go take a chill pill!" Roland said. His fingers slide from Lelouch's skin. "It's not like people haven't put two and two together yet."

"Roland!" Suzaku growled deep now.

"Alright, Alright!" Roland said with a chuckle. "I'm done here anyway. He's on the road back to good health."

"On the road?" Suzaku said now. Lelouch was becoming quite aware of the tedious relationship between the two of them. Lloyd was flippant, but Roland was a nuisances to Suzaku. Lelouch wondered remotely what made that small difference. Suzaku trusted Lloyd and was very easy with Lloyd. His reactions to Roland though were quite different.

"I do believe that Pudding has made you aware of his previous condition."

"I see." Suzaku said. Lelouch felt the mattress move as Suzaku leaned back again on his hands.

"I've already arranged a meal to be sent up here shortly." Roland went on.

"He's still doing well then though, no complications?"

"It doesn't look like it. The best news I have for you would be that all internal bleeding appears to have been stopped." Lelouch heard the sound of a laptop boot up. "In fact if things are looking well I'll probably have you try to get him up and walking by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Suzaku stammered.

"If at all possible yes." The sound of keys clicking rapidly accompanied Roland's voice. "His muscle will need rehabilitated and as soon as possible if you really are planning on taking him to Pendragon with you." Lelouch wasn't sure if he was being referred to as a companion or as a pet in this.

"That won't be for at least another month."

"And if we are lucky by then he will simply have a scar and minor pains. But that won't happen I guarantee you if we don't get him up and moving soon."

"He's been stabbed!" Suzaku countered.

"Yes and by you, which is why I'm going to have you start the rehabilitation, especially since we don't know what we are doing with those eyes yet." Now Lelouch understood. This man was taking Suzaku on. Lloyd had already learned his lesson of crossing the Knight of Zero. Roland on the other hand was dancing with that thin line between simply being an annoyance to Suzaku and really making him angry. Lelouch wasn't sure if he liked that about the man or if he wanted to warn him Suzaku held grudges for ages.

"But he's—"

"It'll be fine." Lelouch cut in. he imagined the two must have turned to look at him because he felt the shift in the mattress and the stop of the keyboard clicks. "I'd like to start rehabilitation as soon as possible."

"Very well your highness." Roland said, just a little bit of smugness tucked into his voice. Lelouch knew he had just given the man a victory over Suzaku but it wasn't about that. The sooner Lelouch could get himself back to walking the sooner he would be able to hopefully see his plan through.

"Lelouch." He heard very soft.

"I'll be fine, Suzaku. I'd like to be able to get up and walking." Lelouch said, then quieter. "I'll be less of a burden that way," in fact if everything went well he wouldn't be at all.

"You're not a burden now!" Suzaku said.

"I'll make the arrangements and have you start tomorrow morning Suzaku." Roland said, Lelouch wasn't sure if he had realized he'd interrupted a newly started conversation between the two or not but he was glad he had. None the less Lelouch was happy for it, he could even get lucky and Suzaku wouldn't bring it back up.

The heavy footsteps of Roland were heard, getting to his feet were heard a moment latter. The snap as a Laptop was closed and a second later Suzaku was up as well.

"I have to be leaving before Pudding finds out I've been in here while he's awake." Lelouch heard as Suzaku stepped to the man.

"Will you be back with him tonight?" Suzaku asked.

"If I can manage it. My shifts are getting longer every night it seems. I do wish you had kept him at the hospital."

"You barely saw him there."

"Yeah because you never left his side." Roland pointed back at him, almost like an accusation. Lelouch's attention was drawn. Suspicions confirmed. Suzaku had moved him for a very different reason, and moreover he wasn't telling at least very many people those reasons. Now the question was what exactly was Suzaku hiding?

"I have a lot of work to get done here—" Suzaku said.

"You had a lot of work two days ago also, That didn't stop you from spending nights in chairs down there." Roland countered yet again. It was official Lelouch liked this man.

"Yes and not much was getting done, I'd rather have him close so I can keep an eye on him—"

"And if anything did happen to go wrong I would really like to have him at the hospital." There was a distance buzzing sound Lelouch heard.

"I believe that would be your pager." Suzaku said.

"Of Course if you will excuse me." Roland said. Lelouch heard the sound of a rustling bag and a zipper. Then heavy steps to the door. "Oh one last thing. They know."

Lelouch heard a deep sigh from Suzaku. "I know that they know. Kallen confronted me last night."

"Just thought I would tell you. You might want to be extra cautious for the next couple of days." Roland said.

"I know, but Lloyd and I—"

"I know you have that project underway."

"Yeah." Suzaku gave a sigh.

"Well take care of him, He's some of the best work I've ever done." Roland said before Lelouch heard the door whoosh open.

"Yeah, I'll see you again tonight." Suzaku said. A few more steps then the second whoosh as the door was closed.

Lelouch waited patiently as Suzaku stepped back to him. He looked to where he at least figured the boy would be and waited. He felt the mattress compress as Suzaku sat again. He was closer to him this time, sitting directly to the side of Lelouch. He could feel his warmth through his sheet at his side. It was a long moment that followed. Lelouch was a bit confused as the boy didn't move to take the blind fold off. Impatient Lelouch raised his hands up reaching back. They were swiftly grasped by Suzaku's own hands.

"Suzaku," Lelouch said, irritated.

"Just another moment, Lelouch." He said softly.

"No, take it off." Lelouch hissed.

Suzaku clearly wasn't listening he lowered Lelouch's hands down to the sheets before letting them go. His hands then glided up through Lelouch's hair yet again. "You're just so defenseless like this." Lelouch tensed as Suzaku cupped his face. Just more evidence telling him what he didn't want to hear. Suzaku had very different ideas about Lelouch's good behavior. The situation would have to be remedied. Lelouch didn't wait for another moment as he raised his hand and worked at the knot at the back of his head.

Suzaku just chuckled. "Are you really that in a rush Lelouch?"

After working the knot free he pulled the cloth from his eyes. The hard amethyst orbs met Suzaku's midori ones immediately.

Suzaku opened his mouth to speak but stopped short as Lelouch lifted his other hand. Laying both of his palms over Suzaku's he pulled the Japanese hands from his face. Suzaku froze as Lelouch pulled his hands away then simply left them to their own will in midair, Lelouch lowered his hands to the sheets again and waited for Suzaku's move now.

"Lelouch.." he trailed off his hands dropped half an inch before slowly he pulled them to his lap.

"I think we need to talk." Lelouch's solid eyes still directed at his former knight. Suzaku hadn't moved besides his hands, his deep green pool focused only on Lelouch, as always.

"That's a bit ironic since we've done nothing but for the past few days." Suzaku swallowed after saying it.

"We can't do this Suzaku." Lelouch shook his head while he spoke. "You are Zero, and you will in no way be compromising that title for something as silly as this."

A sad smile flickered on Suzaku's lips. "Silly?"

"Silly, pathetic, meaningless, unneeded, attach whatever tag you want to it, that doesn't change what it is." Lelouch hissed. Suzaku looked down from the former emperor. "Suzaku, games like this are too dangerous to be played with now." Lelouch kept his voice strong as he looked at the Japanese man. His head turned from him and his eyes directed to some great mystery at the floor.

"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Suzaku mused now that same sad smile on his face.

Lelouch wasn't sure if he wanted to sigh or reach forward and coddle the boy. It hadn't taken as much as he ever would have imagined to break Suzaku. Every time he had broken him he realized how easy he could do it. A few well placed words and he had Suzaku at his knees. Finally Lelouch settled at a sigh. "Yes Suzaku a rose, if that's what you wish to refer it as."

"I believe you just pointed out that name's don't matter." Suzaku was turned completely away from the light let in through the window. Shadows mixed with his midori eyes giving them a darker shade than Lelouch had ever noticed on the boy before.

Lelouch stopped himself from leaning forward to the new Zero. The new Zero. He had to keep reaffirming that in his mind. This was not his best friend from high school this was Suzaku, Zero of the new world. He was the new world practically.

"The point is we have to stop Suzaku." Lelouch said.

"Stop what exactly?" Suzaku asked.

"Stop what?" Lelouch said in disbelief. "This! You touching me! Me being comfortable with you touching me! If Roland can already pin us down together then what do you think everyone else is saying!"

"I have made no moves toward you!" Suzaku barked back.

"Then what was this morning?" Lelouch hurtled back at him. "What was all the caressing? And even now you're sitting far closer than just a friend would!"

Suzaku closed his eyes a snarl at his curled lips. "You never cared about this before." He gritted out.

"You were never this open before!" Lelouch pleaded.

"Well maybe I thought for once it would be nice not to have to hide it!" Suzaku snarled his head spinning to point those emerald eyes at Lelouch. "When we were in school it was because we couldn't tarnish the elevens reputation, then the second round of school it was because I was a Knight of the Round, then even just at the palace, oh god you had no idea how much I refrained from doing. We had our own city for a sanctuary and yet you still were so preoccupied by what everyone else would say or think for this. Damn it, Lelouch I'm tired of hiding this!" Suzaku pleaded now himself. He harshly wiped his sleeve over his face.

"Suzaku if you wanted something open you shouldn't have picked me." Lelouch said, stoic.

Suzaku just looked to the floor at that. "Fine I'll keep to myself more when others are around."

"That's not what I'm saying Suzaku." Lelouch said, eyes still hard.

Suzaku looked over to him. His clear midori pools already starting to leak rain. "Lelouch I have you back I'm not going to just ignore you."

Lelouch was silent before he proclaimed to the new Zero. "That is why I was supposed to be dead. You would have had no choice then."

"I have barely touched you in the past year and a half!" Suzaku said.

"Then it won't be hard for you to simply not touch me at all." Lelouch said making the statement a conclusion of the discussion.

Suzaku opened his mouth as if he was going to say something before he simply sighed. His eyes closed for a very brief moment. He opened them again just as he spoke. "Alright Lelouch, the roses will stop."

It was quiet then. neither moved neither spoke. The sound of military orders being yelled could be heard faintly out the window. Lelouch watched Suzaku's shadowed face carefully. The slight frown was all he could really see from the Japanese face turned away from him. A frown formed on his own face as the product of the two's fight slid down Suzaku's tan cheek. It slid over the soft skinned expanse before working through the creases of Suzaku's frown and finally coming to fall from his jaw line to the newly pressed Warrant Officers uniform. Lelouch fisted his hands in the sheets. The urge at that moment to touch Suzaku was overwhelming. It had hit him only once this hard and that had been, well, a very long time ago, when there was still a glimpse of hope for the two. Suzaku raised his arm up to his face wiping away all traces of his distress.

"I have to go." He said stiffly getting to his feet. "I promised Lloyd I would meet him downstairs."

"Alright." Lelouch said. He wanted to ask when Suzaku would be back but he stopped himself. He had to remain separate from the knight…from _his_ knight. He had to keep that distance so that when … he didn't want to have Suzaku hurt anymore then possible. Suzaku wasted no time striding to the door. Of course, upon reaching it he stopped his hand on the frame he stood there head down.

He didn't look back as he spoke. "I'll make sure something gets sent up for you to eat. Please do me a favor and actually eat it."

"I will." Lelouch said.

Suzaku didn't turn only nodded and left the door sliding shut in his wake. Lelouch was left with only the memory of that strong back and broad shoulders.

Lelouch sighed deeply. He yanked the sheet over his shoulder and pushed himself to lay flat on the bed. Ignoring the pain of his movements he pushed the extra pillows off the bed, fully knowing it was rather juvenile to just let them flop on to the floor. He didn't care. He moved himself, not so very carefully to turn away from the door. He tried curling, which was met with more pain than he could ignore and simply settle with lying on his side. He tucked his head down to his chest squeezing his eyes tightly shut. He knew what he wanted, but what or more specifically who he wanted, he had just sent away, possibly permanently. He was just too good at crushing his own life into pieces wasn't he?

* * *

_Okay so original plans for this chapter were in no way followed haha. I had originally planned for just a lot more in it, but I really wanted to show the progression of the relationship of these two in a more close up analytical view. So I did obviously and then noticed that I had reached six thousand words in like nothing flat. So I decided to call it quits there and five is now completely mapped out, haha. Also I rarely post two weeks in a row but next Saturday is thanksgiving and well I'm not posting then. _

_So question for you guys. Okay there are two, one pertaining to the story and one not. __**This is the season of holidays so tell me what is your favorite Holiday and why?**_

_My answer for that is obviously Valentine's day! Red is one of my favorite colors and I just love to see people in love, doesn't matter if I'm dating anyone or not I just love to see two people in love, especially really old couples they are the cutest. _

_And second Question: __**Why do you think Suzaku moved Lelouch? **__Small hint is that the story has already told you. _

_Anywho, thank you guys so much for all the reviews. Thank you if you take the time out of your day and give me another review, and hey if you want you can answer my question! See ya later guys, have a great weekend! _

_Side Note: Project Mafia is quite literally under way, shockingly enough. My search for something different from the average Beta reader has resulted in the formation of something well without an official name as of yet so we are all simply calling it Project Mafia! We're now more of a group and less of Beta readers all the time, haha. Yeah, so if you think you dig talk to me._

_~Review, It makes me Giggly~_

_~Review it makes me giggly~_


	5. Pieta

_Alright now as always, I would like to thank you all for the reviews and all the feedback you have given me. You have no idea what it means to me for you guys to take the time out of your day to write a review, good or bad. _

_Special Thanks:_ **karolalpha, ****luckless-is-me****, ****Star, ****CrystalStarlight95****, Toki, ****Magician Girl Mirani****, ****Skiperella****, ****viviboo****, ****LittleBlackRaven**

_Now to the story, well future plans anyway. For the first two chapters or so I was trying to work the plot out to have Lelouch and Suzaku starting a relationship completely anew, no baggage so to speak. But the farther I have written the more I'm realizing the intensity that is Suzaku isn't possible without that extra baggage. Then that got me thinking and well Yeah. I'm planning on a Prequel so to speak now. It will be short, ten chapters at the very most! In fact probably only around five chapters. It will pretty much just sum up the relationship of the two in high school. But yeah, if you haven't already gotten by now, because once I hit chapter three I had come to the conclusion they had to have been in a relationship beforehand, so I really didn't hold Suzaku back at all. Anyway boring little side note. _

_To the story yes?_

* * *

The Amethyst King

Chapter Five

Pieta

10/29/2010 11:56 PM HAPPY HALLOWEEN! …in two days. HA-ha weird to think I wrote most of this all the way back in October.

Lelouch had his back to the door still when it finally opened an hour or two later. He didn't stir from his semi-curled position his eyes closed and face unreadable. The events of the morning had more than made him simply want to forget the world and all its inhabitance. The only real thought he could come up with was that he should have been dead at this moment in time. He shouldn't have had to go through any of this! He should have died close to a week ago! He just squeezed his eyes tighter shut as he heard the whoosh of the door opening. He knew who he wanted it to be invading his room and he knew that was the one person whom it wasn't.

"Your Highness?" A soft sweet voice spoke.

Lelouch's eyes instantly flickered open. "Alana." He addressed her.

"Yes your highness. Your Knight made sure to have me bring up some food."

Lelouch breathed slow before turning to look at her. The tall pale nurse looked at him black, the red glow around her irises the only thing suggesting any real life.

"That's fine," Lelouch said.

She gave a nod and like a robot moved to set the meal on a sliding table at the foot of the bed. Lelouch appraised his situation silently watching her animatronic movements as she moved the table up towards him.

"Have you uncovered any information since our last meeting?" He asked the spell bound nurse.

"His Lordship's Knight it seems has started a rather large venture with Earl Ashplund." She spoke, animated as ever.

"The nature of this venture?" Lelouch asked intent. If it was something he could get away with now could possibly be the perfect moment to see his plans through.

"I have had trouble getting much on it but the two have been spending a lot of time down stairs in the engineering department."

"I see so they're building something." Lelouch concluded.

"Also my lord, it would seem that your Knight may be planning a trip to the Chinese Federation."

Lelouch peaked at this. "Oh really? And the plans for me at that time?" He asked.

"That is still under consideration as far as I gather."

"Right, do you know if they are considering a holding cell again?"

Alana stared blankly down at his as she spoke still. "I believe that that is what Lady Cornelia is in favor of along with several others."

"Good work, Alana." Lelouch said. It wouldn't be very long after all. And now that Suzaku had been dually scolded for his advances Lelouch hoped that maybe he wouldn't be as effected.

"Alana!" He spoke now with confidence.

"Your Highness?" She answered eager, to fulfill his slightest whim.

"If I am to be put in a holding cell while my Knight is gone you will execute the plan we have previously discussed, understood?"

"Anything for you my lord!" She said, enthused.

"Good." Lelouch said.

"Is there anything else my Lord?" she asked, like a trained puppet to perform for her puppeteer.

"No—actually," he changed his mind abruptly, his eyes skipping to the nurse. "Have you heard any word on the reasoning behind my move from the Hospital?"

"His Lordships Knight, claims it was so that he and Earl Ashplund could spend more time here, my lord."

Lelouch sighed. It was a completely worthless piece of information. "Alright."

"Is that all you're Grace?" she asked again.

"Yes." He said. "You may go now."

"I will leave you to your meal then." she bowed her dress swaying with the movement as she then turned and left.

Lelouch shot a glance in the general direction of the food. Nothing extravagant, that was for sure. The assortment of fruit, toast, and cereal sat on the tray-table at the side of the bed. It was staring him down whispering, 'you promised him.' Lelouch felt no urge to reach over and partake of any of it. He gritted his teeth, who knew juice could be so damned accusatory. He spun away from the prosecution to face the window again. Damn food.

He blinked into the sheets as he tried curling again. The grid cast by the slatted blinds confined Lelouch even more to his convictions. The morning light was slowly waning as the sun wound back through the sky. Lelouch averted his eyes from the window his thoughts as dormant as he could manage to get them. Long strands of ebony fell over his somber expression as he pulled himself inward to a curl. The ache in his mid-reign flared when he pulled his legs up to tuck closer to his warmth. He ignored it the best he could. He pulled the covers over his bare shoulders and tried drifting again.

His thoughts of sleeping again drowned as he heard a voice from the door.

"You think you got it pretty nice here, don't you?" scornful and low the voice rumbled through the room. Lelouch stilled his breathing as the woman approached. "Everyone here is just catering away to you aren't they your highness?" Mocking now, a horrible vengeful mocking was present in the low voice as it drew closer. "A whole staff brought up from the hospital, just for you." It was viscous. "you have that sham of a Zero wrapped pretty tightly around your finger, don't you?"

Lelouch didn't turn to acknowledge as he spoke. "Is there something in particular that you want Kallen?"

"Your head on pike." Kallen cursed.

Lelouch let out a heaved sigh. "Well you and I both know that I want that also and that Suzaku is the only one that won't let either of our desires come true. So I would suggest we just hurry this along and you can go take this up with him."

"Why? So he can tell me how you're no longer a threat for the billionth time? Then he can blab on and on about how killing you now will serve no purpose? I don't think so." Lelouch heard the 'kshin' as the knife hidden in that pink pouch was unsheathed.

"A stabbing again?" Lelouch snorted. "At least be original, Kallen, stop always following in Suzaku's footsteps."

"What?" she screeched.

"Really Kallen, it's already been proven you're just trying to be just like him. Are you going to have a heart wrenching and dramatic save at the last second too?" Lelouch knew he was barking up the wrong tree, but hope still glimmered in that secret blade and Lelouch was getting far too much pleasure for this to stop now. "Or will you try the opposite approach and just watch me die? Of course that is how things should have gone with Suzaku. Again, are you simply trying to right the wrong you though he made? Or could it be you think of yourself as a replace—"

"Shut up!" Kallen now clearly riled screamed at him. He heard the sloppy, clattering lunge she made at him.

Lelouch remained still.

"That's all you are is talk!"

Lelouch spared a glance up. Kallen was over him the secret blade at the ready. Lelouch let his eyes roll away as blue diamond's sprang to life at the reaction she'd finally gotten from him.

"Don't you look away from me!" Kallen infuriated raged on.

"Why? You are nothing to me now." Lelouch drawled letting his eyes return to their languished stare into the sheets.

"What?" Kallen screamed. "I was your personal guard! I stayed by you! I fought—"

"You left me to die." Lelouch blurted out.

"I—" Kallen stammered. "You betrayed us first!"

"I told you I had reason to fight Britannia I didn't tell you it was the same reason all of you were fighting for also."

"I—I should kill you, Lelouch!"

"Kallen" Now this was unexpected. "Stay your weapon."

"How quaint, you're coming to my aid sister?" Lelouch indulged in a turn of his head to the broad figure of his sister.

"I'm doing no such thing." Cornelia proclaimed. "I'm simply here to pick up a few loose ends."

Her cold eyes focused on Kallen. "Don't waste your time he'll only find a ways to upset you."

"I don't care!" Kallen exclaimed. "I came here to kill him! He shouldn't be here at all!"

"I agree." Now this was really getting interesting. Lelouch let his listless eyes focus as Tohdoh let himself in flanked by Nagisa and Ohgi.

"He betrayed us all he shouldn't be here." Nagisa said her brow lowering as a sneer curled up her lips.

"No." Cornelia countered now

Tohdoh strode forward, but not to Lelouch, no, to Kallen. "She is right, Kallen." He took the pouch from her. "If he dies it has to be publicly."

"He's already died publicly!" Ohgi now. "He should be taken out here! Zero—"

Lelouch was surprised that the man had entered the conversation with such convictions.

"He's not Zero!" Kallen screamed. Lelouch was mildly shocked. Did she realize she had just interjected a superior?

"He's just some silly little ploy of His." she snarled whipping her head around to leer at Lelouch.

"You planned this didn't you!" Nagisa snarled too, she herself snatching on to Kallen's implications. "You knew he would save you!"

Lelouch stifled the urge to roll his eyes again. "Tell me, if I was the one in control do you really think I would have let Suzaku take my power? Then try suicide? Then instill in him the ideas that we should turn the entire world into a republic? And whilst all this resigning myself to awful hospital food?"

"You've already proven how good of an actor you are!" Ohgi spat. "We all know you weren't moved from the hospital so Suzaku could get more work done,"

"While we're at it what is that project he's slaving away on with that uncouth researcher he holds in such high regards?" Cornelia ground out also.

Lelouch shook his head slowly. "I don't know. And I don't even know if I wish to any longer."

"Don't lie to us!" Nagisa lunged forward to Tohdoh's side as she said the words. Ever the pathetic lap dog, Lelouch thought to himself. At least, Suzaku acted on his own once in a while, he was still a lap dog in Lelouch opinion, but he'd proven he could function on his own, unlike the little Japanese bride want-to-be before him.

"If you want any answer's the only advice I can give you is go talk to Suzaku and I wish you more luck than I've had." Lelouch said.

"You Lie!" Nagisa snarled.

"No." Tohdoh said. "You know something you're not telling us." Tohdoh spoke quietly, his obsidian eyes pointed down to Lelouch narrowing as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I know nothing." Lelouch said casually. He was actually telling the truth for once in his miserable life too. Besides even if he did know something it's not like these people were first on his list of people he would tell.

"I don't believe you!" Nagisa screamed at him.

"No." Cornelia again was coming to his rescue it seemed. "I believe him."

"What?" It was Kallen now. She looked at Cornelia like she had just sworn fealty to the devil himself. "You believe him!" Her finger jutted out and sliced through the air as she pointed to him.

"I believe that he knows nothing." Cornelia proclaimed.

"You're wrong!" Ohgi said enraged now. "He has to be in on this somehow!"

"Ohgi is right!" Nagisa snarled.

"And what if he is wrong?" Tohdoh said.

"General." Nagisa said in utter disbelief,

"I say he does know something, but I'm not so sure he even knows how to tell the truth anymore." Tohdoh said backing his argument.

Lelouch's eyes were on the door though now. Somewhere in the mist of all the yelling and screaming, the door had slid open again. The infamous Earl of Pudding was standing there, but he wasn't paying as much attention to the fight. He was leaned down and had said something Lelouch couldn't hear to his little kitten. Cecile? Lelouch thought that was her name at the very least. Cecile gave a sharp nod before rushing away.

"He's a liar!" Ohgi billows bringing Lelouch back to the argument before him.

"Now, now children." Earl Lloyd Ashplund scolded as he finally decided to make his presence known. He stepped into the room his expression unreadable. "Really, I believe most of these points have already been debated, must all of you really insist in beating this dead horse?"

"He's not dead!" Cornelia snarled. "And that is the exact issue at hand."

"And he's a threat why?" Lloyd asked raising an eyebrow.

"He's alive isn't he?" Ohgi hissed. "He'll always be a threat as long as he's still alive."

"I would believe that Suzaku—" Lloyd started.

"That boy is his accomplice!" Cornelia growled.

"No," Kallen interjected. "That would be C.c." Kallen said malice seeping in through her words.

Tohdoh's eyes were the first to hit Lelouch and they were soon followed by the rest in the room.

"Where is that little spy of yours anyway?" Nagisa was the first to mouth the words everyone was thinking.

"I do not know." Lelouch sighed. "Not with me, obviously."

"She knows you're alive though, doesn't she?" Kallen spat.

Lelouch stifled the urge to roll his eyes for the hundredth time that day. "I don't know."

"I believe the former emperor has made it clear, he is not in any way in the loop, shall we say." Lloyd said casually.

Lelouch was grateful for the researcher then. It made at least one person in this room believed him.

"He's a liar!" Nagisa snarled.

Lelouch really did roll his eyes now. Could she really not come up with anything more original? It had already been established that Lelouch was indeed a liar.

"She'll come for him!" Ohgi snarled. "Just like before she'll come for him! And then where will we be once he starts flashing that cursed eye around again!"

"She won't." Lelouch sighed. "I sent her away." He further explained. "She will not be coming back."

"There's no other way then!" Kallen hissed. All eyes turned to her out of context comment. She looked absolutely murderous. "He needs to die. For all of this to end he need to die, right here, right now!"

"I'm afraid I will have to contradict that statement." Lloyd said himself. He sounded…no he even looked serious for the first time since Lelouch had come across the man.

"So you really have taken his side!" Ohgi exclaimed.

"No, I agree with him." Cornelia said. "Lelouch needs to die, but not here. Tohdoh is right we need to have him publicly executed."

"No!" Nagisa hissed. "You're wrong he's served his purpose as our leader, he needs to die!"

"For what end?" Lloyd asked. "So that you can get your long sought after revenge? For what building a new world?"

"It's no better world as long as he still lives in it!" Kallen spat.

Lelouch's eyes flashed to the door now. He let out a sigh, a different one than those of before. It was a sigh of acknowledgement. Standing in the doorway was his Knight. Behind him was Cecile, looking hesitant and a bit withdrawn But Lelouch wasn't interested in her. His amethyst eyes were on the strong figure standing in the doorway. Suzaku's brow was a hard line overcasting his emerald piercing eyes. His stance was a wide one ready to lunge to Lelouch's side if need be. He had abandoned the officers uniform for something a little less formal. Navy work overalls were tied with the sleeves at his hips. A black form fitting sleeveless top extend from somewhere around his hips to snugly hug up over his neck. Thick, black work gloves were strained over Suzaku's fisted hands. To top it all off were protective goggles amongst brunette curls, shadowing his face. Suzaku's emerald eyes surveyed the room skimming over the fighting mob all congregated in the room. They came to rest, meeting Lelouch's own violet pools. Lelouch let a small smile flicker as Suzaku instantly made up his mind taking strong strides into the room.

"He—" Cornelia stopped mid sentence as Suzaku took a step past her.

The rest in the room noticed as well. All fell silent as Suzaku's strong broad form proceeded to Lelouch's side.

Neither of them spoke as Suzaku reached the side of the bed. Lelouch let Suzaku reach under him and pull the thick hospital sheet around his shoulders. He worked the sheet around him and pulled it tie loosely off in the front. Without a word still Suzaku dove one arm under Lelouch's knees and pushed his other around him to grip his shoulders. Lelouch found himself effortlessly lifted from the bed. Suzaku gripped more securely on to him and pulled Lelouch closer to his chest.

"Suzaku…" Kallen started. Her eyes looked to him her deep blue diamonds now searching over Suzaku's face.

She was met with a look from Suzaku. His brow low and eyes piercing, a shade of dark vengefulness mixed in with dangerous shade of emerald spears. His mouth was in a hard line and his jaw set solidly. If there was a list of some of the most monumental eat shit and die looks out there this one would rank at the very least in the top three. Sliding his wrathful eyes away Suzaku held Lelouch closer and continued out of the room.

It occurred to Lelouch momentarily as they stepped through the doorway, that this was the first time in close to a week that Lelouch had seen anything but the inside of his hospital room that had taken place of a holding cell. Suzaku was all business striding down the hall with what would appear as one intention: get Lelouch out. Lelouch glanced up at Suzaku's face. That callous expression was still dominating his at other times very handsome face. Heaven help any soul that managed to cross paths with Suzaku at the moment. Lelouch could almost see him melt any opponent that might want to face him with just his eyes. No putting Lelouch down required!

Lelouch let his eyes wander back to watch his new surroundings as they moved very swiftly down the hall. A small pale Alana was standing just behind a counter with two other nurses around her. Lelouch quickly looked away as a scarlet tingle flared behind the pale blue eyes of his slave. The last thing he needed now was to have his plans discovered by Suzaku. Another place or time and he would probably just warrant a good scolding. If he found out in this state of mind Suzaku just might kill him…for real this time. Then again he'd been given that perfect opportunity and far better excuses several times now and all he'd done is kept Lelouch painfully alive…damn Suzaku.

Lelouch noticed that everyone was quite literally clearing out of their way as Suzaku continued around a corner. Lelouch wasn't sure if this phenomenon was happening as a reaction to him or as a reaction to Suzaku. Lelouch realized though that they should have painted the walls a different color that was for sure. Why were every hospitals, or infirmary in this case, always colored in tope? Lelouch made the executive decision that he hated tope.

Suzaku reached the elevators and as a couple of soldiers stepped out he swiftly took their place sliding past them and into the enclosed space. The soldiers stumbled themselves into a salute but they were too late as Suzaku adjusted his arm more directly under Lelouch's shoulders, freeing up his hand so he could press the Close Doors button and then the Basement Floor button. The elevator dinged to life and shuttered slightly before starting to move. Suzaku pulled his hand back to hold Lelouch now more fully cupped over his shoulder. Lelouch sighed. The two of them just couldn't manage to stay away from each other. He moved his face closer against Suzaku's chest. He hesitated a moment before finally he conceded and nuzzled into Suzaku's heartbeat. Suzaku sighed and hugged him closer to his chest. Lelouch smiled and glanced up at his knight. Suzaku had his eyes set on the floor. His face was now more somber, a small spark of that handsome face of his on the horizon though.

"You smell like BO." Lelouch informed him.

A smile cracked across his face and Lelouch smiled also as the Suzaku he was fond of seemed to return.

"You smell like medication and sanitizer." Suzaku said past the smile.

"We're discussing you here not me." Lelouch said playfully. "And _you_ need a shower."

Suzaku laughed at that. "Look who's talking! You haven't bathed in how long?"

"Again, we are talking about you, not me." Lelouch reaffirmed.

"Why am I always the one at fault?" Suzaku asked.

"You're not always the one that's wrong…I'm just never wrong." Lelouch mumbled against the fabric of Suzaku's shirt.

Suzaku just smiled faintly and cupped his hands more firmly around him.

A quiet and clear moment passed as the numbers above the elevator doors changed slowly. Lelouch snuggled into Suzaku's black tank top and Suzaku held Lelouch tighter. They didn't speak about what they were doing. They didn't speak about how they were committing something they had agreed upon was a sin. They didn't speak about it so they didn't have to acknowledge that it was happening. Suzaku's softened leafy green eyes dusted over the weak form of his emperor crumpled in his arms and held him gently against his chest. But for just a small moment he felt so justified in his actions. Like the _Pieta._ It felt like he was meant to hold this messiah of his so close to him. Like the stone pillar holding him from falling again. What scared Suzaku was that this messiah was set on falling and that further more he knew that this man would not rise after his crucifixion.

The ding of the elevator drew Suzaku's line of sight up to the digital numbers over the doors. 'B' flashed a few times before the doors slid open before him. Suzaku gave a curt nod. Without looking back, the sound of his heavy boots echoed on the hard floors as he carried his white clothed bundle across the threshold. The white sheet dragged lightly on to the cement floors as Suzaku entered the massive caverns known as the 'Nightmare Hangers.' He didn't stop his steps and he continued on to the control center at the head of the long cavern. He ignored the computers, facing the wall, shifted the body in his arms enough to free up one hand. With the freed hand he pulled from the wall an emergency examination table, not unlike the one's he had found himself on after his first run in with Lelouch in the tunnels. The thought crossed the now seasoned soldier mind. It was accompanied, inevitably, by the thought of if he could go back would he have lived those first moments, those moments where this whole thing had started, would he have lived them any differently? Would he have found a way to stop Lelouch from bargaining with that witch, and therefore in his eyes saving him from all the heartache and all the pain of doing this to himself?

Suzaku pushed the thoughts away as he pulled the padded table that liked to pretend it was a bed out. After locking the thing in place he gently lifted the body in his arms and laid it on the table. Lelouch's amethyst eyes watched Suzaku as he arranged him on the want to be bed. Suzaku as carefully as he could pulled the lagging sheet up to tuck around Lelouch more securely. Lelouch watched him lazily as he a bit fidgety and unorganized tried to make Lelouch comfortable on a completely uncomfortable padded table that folded out of the wall. Lelouch smiled faintly before pulling out a pale hand and placing on Suzaku's sun kissed arm.

"I'm fine, thank you , Suzaku." Lelouch said quietly.

Suzaku nodded. "Okay." He said faintly. They were both hesitant then, neither sure how to deal with this. Suzaku reached forward to Lelouch's face before stopping himself. Lelouch watched Suzaku's face. The boy was thinking is all Lelouch could gather from the expression.

Suzaku pulled his hand away fisting it at his side. "I'll just be over here." He said.

Lelouch's eyebrows flickered slightly as Suzaku fell into a half bow. The soldier stopped the gesture half way through more than likely realizing what he had done and without another look in the direction of Lelouch he turned to the hanger and walked back to his work.

Suzaku's work, had just caught Lelouch's attention. There was a mess of inner looking metal organs all strewn out about the place, all knurled metal and mazed machine, dotting the room creating a hedge garden of aluminum and steel. Suzaku's strong long strides took him through the place to a stool and an aluminum welder not far from the raised platform of the control center. Pulling the unsophisticated bland stool under him Suzaku hunkered down with the torch in hand, pulled the protective goggles down over his eyes, and set to his task.

The torch ignited sending colored sparks throughout the room but served in letting Lelouch realize the room was much bigger than it had first appeared. The large cavernous hanger was deep disappearing in the far side to a fuzzy black, with the silhouettes of massive nightmares all lined up like bats waiting for the night, waiting to start their hunt. The flare of the torch though had made Lelouch aware that one frame was a lot closer to the metal garden before him than he had previously thought. In fact the frame was like a center sculpture to the landscape. The metal skeleton faced forward to Lelouch, but with no face to speak of yet it seemed to leer over at him like the headless horseman. The structure was in its starting phases nothing but the barest essentials for a skeleton. The metal frame holding the towering structure up as it inner organs were strewn throughout the room, Suzaku himself, his back to the haunting headless frame, looked to be working on the heart of the Nightmare at that moment.

Lelouch blinked from his post at the makeshift bed. He knew that right now sleep was as it had been for the last week a priority that not gotten too he would be sorry, but all he felt like all he had done for the past week was have conversations(mostly arguments) with Suzaku and sleep! Here he was again alone with only Suzaku as company and since he was busy it looked like his only option was yet again sleep. He let his head roll to the side to look over to Suzaku. Lelouch wasn't sure when, a protective mask had been added over Suzaku's mouth and nose as he worked. Lelouch knew the look in Suzaku's eyes as he touched the torch light down with precision on to the metal, connecting the pieced 3D puzzle together.

He'd seen that look many a time. There was always a few things about Suzaku that fascinated Lelouch beyond all comprehension. He figured that was one of the reasons the two had managed to stay close even after all that had happened. But one of those fascinations was the boys focus. Suzaku's raw ability to take one goal and put all his energy to that one task no matter how big and make for damn sure he accomplished it. Lelouch had witnessed firsthand what Suzaku could do with that single minded madness. He still remembered vividly those strong hands holding him down before his father.

Lelouch content watched his knight. That same amazing ability of focus Suzaku possessed had seemed to kick in as Lelouch watched him build onto the internal structure. He would diverge only briefly to a laptop sitting on another simple metal stool nearby, before returning with purpose to the blow torch and metal. His eyes a dark shade of green darting from one task to the next. Lelouch watched and marveled as he seemed to speed through his tasks, building onto the metal heart. He was accomplishing things very quickly now proving to Lelouch again of how smart Suzaku really was. He had this ability that Lelouch did not have. He could simply block it all out. The entire world, just leave it behind as he plowed forward with his convictions. To Suzaku only a handful of things mattered at a time and all of them were to be achieved as quickly as possible.

Lelouch couldn't lie he enjoyed watching his Knight work so hard. He was after all an observer by nature. Lelouch was sure that Suzaku had completely blocked out his presence entirely until as Suzaku had risen to haul another piece over to his puzzle had stopped. Lelouch froze for half a second as eye contact was made. His heart pounded for those split seconds in his throat and his stomach dropped. Suzaku just looked at him for a moment. Lelouch licked his lips unable to break the eye contact. Suzaku's expressionless face didn't change and he kept the connection for just another moment before he was the one who broke it. He went back to retrieving the needed part and Lelouch turned away a slight blush spreading over his face.

Though he would never openly admit it to Suzaku he often thought of when their blushed brief eye connects were a very critical part of their relationship. It seemed centuries ago that they were engaging in playful courtship. Everything had changed and yet still simple eye contact still had the ability to make Lelouch's head reel. Lelouch let his eyes half hood the memories rolling around in his mind. He had given the subject thought so many times. The thought that just maybe he could have turned things around than. He could have had Suzaku all to himself. Of course, whatever small chance he had had for that alternate future had disappeared when Euphy had entered the picture.

"I'm finished." Suzaku announced. Lelouch pulled himself from his memory to turn his head over to the soldier. "Well for tonight. I can't do much else without Lloyds help."

Lelouch nodded. "oh." He let out.

He noticed then how Suzaku was standing. Awkward, like he wasn't sure what was appropriate to do in Lelouch presence now. He abruptly switched his hands form clasped in the back to clasped in the front. He looked down at his hands for a split second apparently decided he didn't like how they looked clasped and just let them hang at his sides, he then glanced back up at Lelouch. It was like he was looking at him expecting further orders or something.

Lelouch wasn't sure what to say. He glanced around the room before he finally decided on a simple statement. "I don't want to go back up there. Well at least not yet."

Suzaku's eyes lit and he snatched at the hopeful direction. "We can stay down here." He said swiftly.

"Alright." Lelouch said.

The awkwardness was settling in again. The two looked around the room trying desperately not to look at each other. Lelouch bit his lip before his eyes shifted to Suzaku yet again. Suzaku's eyes had doen the same. His eyes glanced away first this time before returning.

"Are—are you hungry?" he asked hesitant. "I could get something." He looked down to his boots. Ashamed was the only emotion Lelouch could pull from his face as he spoke again. "I know that you didn't eat earlier."

"I'm sorry, I just—after our fight I didn't much feel like food, you know." Lelouch let out a small chuckle. "Not everyone can eat like you."

Suzaku's eyes lifted from the floor to focus on Lelouch again. "I don't eat that much."

"Yeah right, you have a metabolism of like ten thousand calories a day. You can eat whatever the hell you want, not that that seems to ever matter to you."

Lelouch smiled as a smile broke on Suzaku's face as well.

"Un like someone I would prefer not to be mistaken for the wrong gender."

"It's the face," Lelouch explained. "I'm gorgeous so it's to be expected."

"Yeah when you're not scowling at me or everyone else."

'Hah! So you do admit I'm gorgeous!" Lelouch said feeling triumphant.

"Or a brat." Suzaku said with his own smirk.

Lelouch pointed a glare at him. "Your petty insults have nothing over me!"

"Yes princess!" Suzaku said and walked to the elevator.

"Emperor!" Lelouch corrected. "and where are you going?"

"I haven't had my teen thousand calories for the day. But don't' worry I'll bring back a cracker and a espresso for you, my lady." Suzaku said and stepped in to the elevator.

"Emperor!" Lelouch reaffirmed as the doors slide shut and he was left alone. Lelouch hated to admit it but possibly for the first time since they were in high school the score was Suzaku: 1 Lelouch: 0

* * *

_Aw now wasn't that last half so cute! Awwwww! _

_Now my last question about the chapter I asked you guys no one got it right. Not a single soul. I was shocked I spent like half a chapter on the reason and no one got it! Here's and over whelming hint, She's a tall green haired witch with freak cat looking eyes. I know some of you are probably still like what? What the hell does she have to do with anything? So I'll explain. It has to do with time line and reactions mostly. What is Suzaku's experience with C.c.? I know not much but he does have some. Pretty much it's kind of just comes down to classical conditioning. Every time C.c. shows up she takes Lelouch away from him in some form. In Suzaku's eyes the girl is all around trouble for Lelouch's and his relationship. So C.c. shows up at the announcement of Nunnally's succession and what is Suzaku's initial reaction? Get it now? He was spooked, so he did the only thing he thought he could do he pulled Lelouch closer to him and made sure he was in a spot C.c. couldn't get to him. _

_So this week's chapter question, __**When did Lelouch put Alana under Geass? **__This one is actually a lot easier then that last one. _

_And of course Personal question as well, Christmas is in a week so we'll go with that. __**What is the number one thing you want for Christmas?**_

_Mine is an iPad. I know I'm not getting an iPad, so uhm, love and world peace? Yeah I'll go with that._

_Also side note but the title of this is Pieta, thats referring to a statue done by Michelangelo. It alludes to several things that I'm not going to go in to right now because that would take pages so if your interested just Google or Wiki it theres a lot on it so its not hard to find. _

_~Review it makes me smile~_


	6. From Forever to Never

_Special Thanks: _**teno-hikari****, ****roses-have-thorns911****, strawberry, Toki, ****Magician Girl Mirani****, ****CrystalStarlight95****, ****Questioning, applepie1989, ****Lyd-eeaa62475****, ****LittleBlackRaven****, ****Skiperella****, ****ychele****, alex, and No Name Person Who Kindly Left A Review But No Name!**

_Question from… Questioning: Alright, you said that you didn't think Kallen could be that hostile or want Lelouch dead that bad, well she wants Lelouch dead alright. Think about it the boy who on multiple occasions has tricked, manipulated, and connived his way out of everything and somehow this same person became the next evil emperor despite your best efforts to stop him and then plans on executing you. Man I'd want him dead already, but it doesn't end there. Nope, finally you see your hero, Zero, slay the doushe bag only to find out, oh wait, oops he's not dead after all and Zero yeah it turns out he's Suzaku and it was all a set up by Lelouch for him to become your idol Zero. Oh and Suzaku is pretty much been your worst enemy from the very start, mostly because you've been constantly trying to kill each other. Now Lelouch (that rat bastard) is trying to tell you he's now alive out of no plan or design of his own. Wait a minute, how many times has he weaseled his way out of death? What conclusion do you automatically come too? Shocker, he's lying to you for the billionth time. And that is why Kallen wants Lelouch dead. :)_

_And Questions from…well you didn't put a name…I'll just call you Noname!: Anyway you had a lot of question. So I'll just start. You are and yet you're not supposed to get some of the things they don't talk about. I know it's a lot of read between the line stuff and it probably does confuse the heck out of not only you. But it's supposed to make you have to think. It's forcing questions. Yes, in chapter two Cornelia is Vindictive…you know he's supposed to be dead and for a second she thinks all the world is right and Suzaku turns out to be the new Zero and she thinks double points. Then, oh wait, that ass Lelouch still isn't dead. Grab the pitchforks! Well…Nunnally doesn't know and yet she's a smart girl. No one has told her if that is the answer to your question. Don't stress over it, it does come up later anyway. And the Gottwald thing is coming…he's just well…I can't tell you…not yet at least…let's just say that him and Lelouch are kind of—he's important don't worry and he is in no way abandoning Lelouch right now. As for the Kallen question see answered question above. Although I do agree it is her fault and she should apologize, but she's Kallen. And the Britannian's want Lelouch body back because, well its very complicated and has a lot to do with the implied politics set up in the anime. If you watch they don't tell you that Lelouch is making Britannia ultra nationalist but I have a hunch. Lelouch knows no dictatorship beyond that of a monarchy and he has experienced no form of government beyond that of a monarchy or of a restrictive federation (communisim). Plus if I'm right they had book burning going on in the world as well so what little he could learn of another form of government is limited. He knows he wants a republic as the end result. But the government he sets up in Brittanian he doesn't realize has been set up already once before. Ring any bells? It's like Germany if they had won World War II or even Russia with Stalin. You have a country, a dictator, and a ton of people following the dictator. And the thing is they aren't brainless at all. Look at the Germans! Their country as a whole has had a few mistakes, two words: Wiemar Republic. But hey so has America, I mean we elected Woodrow Wilson and FDR, how much bigger of mistakes could we have made? But the point is a few brainless ones are following him with zeal and zeal is infectious. Especially for the young. Everything of a prior age is destroyed and that dictator becomes the sun itself if you are a Britannian. The difference is Hitler went down hard and possibly by suicide. Lelouch was assassinated in broad daylight. If you are an ultranationalist young supporter who is in love with your dictator you will not let this just go. In short I just hinted at most of the plot. I have a policy to never tell plot so just ignore the last few lines…or whole paragraph…haha! But good work Noname this means that over all, you are asking the right questions!_

_Also I'm starting another Code Geass Fanfic. I know like I don't have enough ongoing projects. It's just I got the idea and I had to roll with it you know it was just too infectious. So yeah expect that some time in the near future. _

* * *

The Amethyst King

Chapter Six

From Forever to Never

11/3/2010 3:15 PM

Lelouch nuzzled into Suzaku's chest a bit too unconsciously as the soldier carried him through the dark hall back to his room. He knew Suzaku hadn't meant to keep him up that late. Late, of course, was around three in the morning. Although Lelouch wasn't sure what time it really was, that last time he had looked at the clock it had been around two thirty after that he had started to drift. It hadn't helped that Suzaku had pulled him into his arm at around that time sitting on the bed, table, thing and well it had only served to make him feel more relaxed and drowsy. It had happened consequently because of Lelouch that Suzaku had ended up with his arms around him and sharing the same bed…thing with him. In Lelouch's defense he was very tired and then there was the pain killers he was blaming it on, that of course didn't exist, but the point was asking Suzaku to warm him up wasn't his fault…even though it was.

He didn't care though, not now at least. He snaked his hand up through the white sheet to Suzaku's tank top. He curled his fingers into the soft fabric like he was anchoring himself there. He smiled as Suzaku at that same instance tightened his hold around his shoulders. In the morning, he told himself, he would set them both straight and they would again stop it with the "roses." But of course then they would go back to being separate and distant friends.

Lelouch stirred as he realized Suzaku had opened the door to his room. His fingers curled tighter around the fabric at Suzaku's chest. His eyes were still shut. He willed them to stay that way as he grasped at the tank top that smelled so much like the hopeful past.

They hadn't really done anything the whole night. Suzaku had gotten them food which he had made sure Lelouch ate. Then they had both just stayed there in the room. Suzaku had pulled a chair next to Lelouch and started working on a laptop for a majority of the first half. Hunched and focused again his had eyes scanned line after line stopping briefly he would straighten and type a little but never as much as he appeared to read. Well that was until Lelouch had informed him how bored he was. He smiled slightly at the thought. Suzaku had blushed and apologized several times as he quickly redirected himself on helping cure the situation. Then came the flustered looks as he had tried to come up with something for Lelouch to do. It had ended with Lelouch let out a quiet chuckle and a stilling hand. He just wanted to talk.

They had talked, and much to Lelouch's pleasure over absolutely nothing of real importance to Lelouch. Not that it hadn't been incredibly informative to him. He'd learned several things about the current state of the world and more importantly about the Nightmare under construction. Suzaku's eyes had lit up over that. Lelouch couldn't stop his smiles as Suzaku had gone on and on about mechanisms he hadn't a clue how worked. He's listened though, which he'd felt like Suzaku had needed as he talked about the piloting of the thing and how exactly it would be piloted.

Suzaku gently set Lelouch down on the hospital mattress trying very hard not to wake the as far as he knew slumbering boy. Lelouch didn't let go though as Suzaku had tried to pull away. He fingers dug in like a mechanical claw. The spindly clawed digits loosen only slightly as newly hooded amethyst looked up at the soldier.

"Stay." He whispered softly. His half conscious self had a way of blurting lately.

Suzaku's eyes sparked at the single word but it didn't last as a frown pulled at his lips dragging the darkened forest green out through his irises. He drew his hand up to Lelouch's and gently covered the long fingers with his own shorter but broader palm.

"Lelouch." He gently pulled Lelouch's hand from his shirt. "I have to go tonight. I—" He looked to the floor unhappily."I have a lot to get done tomorrow morning."

Lelouch let his eyes slip closed for just one split second. That's all he needed to draw himself together. It was quiet as Lelouch reminded himself of all that Suzaku had been doing for him as of late. He was taking on the world and Lelouch all while sleeping in chair at night and spending his days in the stifling infirmary room. Simply put Suzaku had ran out of steam. And as far as Lelouch was concerned Zero couldn't be tired. Zero couldn't be falling asleep in federation sessions. He opened his eyes again and squeezed at Suzaku's hand still holding his at the side of the bed.

"It's fine I understand Suzaku." Lelouch said quietly.

Suzaku still looked worried. "I'll be here in the morning though, after I'm done, but I'll come I promise…" He trailed off.

Lelouch smiled. "Alright Suzaku."

Suzaku glanced up at the small clock on one of the monitors. Lelouch followed his gaze. 3:09 AM shown down at them.

"You know, I didn't know you knew how to unhook an IV so fast until today." Lelouch commented.

Suzaku smiled. "I didn't know that until today either."

"And you say that I have a temper." Lelouch said rolling his eyes.

"I wasn't thinking much, I'll admit that." Suzaku scrunched his face for a moment. "I don't even remember unhooking you. I just—I don't know." He looked back down to Lelouch. "I just saw Kallen and I wasn't thinking. I just wanted you out of there."

"Eh," Lelouch gave his best effort into a shrug. "Kallen only had a knife, I could have handled it."

"Yeah, you totally had the situation under control." Suzaku said dead pan.

"If you hadn't have stormed in I would have had them all groveling at my feet." Lelouch announced.

"I don't doubt it."

"Cornelia in a head lock."

"Of course."

"And Tohdoh held at bay with only my IV needle."

"It's to be expected."

Lelouch let his gaze settle on Suzaku's face. "You always show up at the wrong moments."

Suzaku smiled, "I have perfect timing." His eyes skirted to the digital clock again. 3:14 AM was flashing as he frowned. "And now would be one of those moments. I have to get some sleep tonight."

"I already told you that I understand." Lelouch said.

Suzaku nodded.

Their hands were still linked. Their eyes drew done to the laced digits. Lelouch was pretty sure neither of them knew when they had started actually holding hands, but somewhere between the Nightmare hanger and now it had assuredly happened. 3:17 glared at the two interlocked hands.

"I have to go." Suzaku repeated.

"I know." Lelouch said.

Neither of them moved.

3:20

Suzaku stood. He looked at the hands ruefully before pulling his fingers gently from Lelouch and stepped closer to the side of the bed. Lelouch let his hand fall back to the sheets. As Suzaku approached his hands already out stretched Lelouch closed his eyes desperately and turned his face. He heard Suzaku stop. Lelouch could feel his warmth so very close to him.

"Oh right." Suzaku breathed. "I forgot." He withdrew a step from the bed.

'Me too,' Lelouch felt like saying, but he didn't. "You need to go." He said quietly.

"Yeah," Suzaku said. "Goodnight Lelouch."

Lelouch could hear him retreat to the door, before it opened, then shut.

"Goodnight Suzaku." Lelouch whispered.

* * *

"This is worse than gym class!" Lelouch hissed. His fingers dug into Suzaku's hands as he sat panting at the side of the bed. His feet were on the ground but just like all the rest of the times he was leaning back to support his weight on the bed. He'd been given a pair of hospital scrubs and Suzaku had provided a white shirt and a dark blue hoody that hung from his narrow shoulders unzipped. Suzaku stood before him back in his Officers uniform waiting patiently as Lelouch grasped his hands in pain. His nails dug down into Suzaku's palms. His knuckles white and his face contorted slightly.

"We can stop if you want…" Suzaku said weakly.

Lelouch looked up at him. It had been Lelouch who had insisted that they do this today, that morning, as soon as Suzaku possibly could. It had also been Lelouch who had insisted it be Suzaku to help him through this. Besides one look at the way Suzaku had the physical therapist firmly in his hawk like gaze told Lelouch it was either Suzaku does it or watch Suzaku pounces the second Lelouch stumbled slightly…or simply sat up from the bed…and then watch as the physical therapist would be throttled to death. It had also subsequently been Lelouch who said it was okay to still continue once Lloyd and Roland had both had to leave.

"No." He breathed heavy.

"Alright." Suzaku said. His lips pressed into a hard line.

"Just give me a second. This hurts a lot." Lelouch said fighting the urge to double over. He knew that would only cause more pain. His head bent convicted that he would make it through the hellish endeavor of taking lifting his feet and walking.

Suzaku just nodded again curling his fingers a little tighter around Lelouch's strained ones.

Roland accompanied by Lloyd this time had been by that morning. They'd started running through all the checks and stops. The probing and prodding had gone a little over board this time without Suzaku there to stop either of them. Lelouch had incidentally also been yelled at for disconnecting the IV. Lelouch had countered that it hadn't been him. Suzaku who had ran in, dark circles under his eyes and his hair looked to possibly be absent of the use of a comb, had then also been yelled at for disconnecting the IV. Suzaku didn't take it sitting down though. Yelling back at Lloyd and Roland he had most assuredly defended his position on the matter.

Lelouch had watched with only one thought came to his mind. Suzaku was stressed. Very stressed, from what he could tell. Lelouch wasn't sure if that was good for his cause or not. He also wasn't sure if the night prior had really been as much of a reprieve to Suzaku as it had been to Lelouch.

"I'm sorry." Suzaku whispered.

Lelouch looked up. "What?" He'd heard, he just wasn't sure what Suzaku was sorry for. Knowing him it could be anything from "I'm sorry I held you face down while your father stripped you of all memory of you little sister whom you adore and in this same instant tore all your dignity away and put it through a paper shredder," to "I'm sorry I think I might have forgotten to say thank you when you had smacked me upside the head that one time a few years ago."

Suzaku's leafy green pools met Lelouch's own violet ones. "I stabbed you."

Lelouch found that amazingly funny for some reason. His laughs were instantly silenced though as he saw the pained expression flash just briefly over Suzaku's face.

"Yes, Suzaku you did stab me, but on my orders if I do remember correctly."

Suzaku pressed his lips together tighter before answering him. "I know, but I shouldn't have put you through that."

"No." Lelouch said his brow creasing. "No, Suzaku, don't even think that."

"I do think it though." Suzaku whispered.

Lelouch stifled the urge to roll his eyes. "Suzaku we have been through this."

"No," Suzaku said firmly. "You have lectured me though it, we never talked about it."

"You were constantly telling me you wanted me dead or at the very least maimed." Lelouch reminded him.

"I know." Suzaku said. His eyes glanced up from focusing on their linked hands.

"Then why are you bringing it up?" Lelouch pointed out. He preferred their conversations the night before over nothing.

"Because I'm sorry I did it." Suzaku said his voice strained.

"Sorry you stabbed me or sorry you had told me to eat shit and die constantly?" Lelouch ventured. As much as he didn't wanted to continue this conversation he wasn't quite sure what Suzaku was trying to get at. He was never sure what Suzaku was trying to get at! The boy was like a freaking minesweep. Conversations were going good, they laughed, they joked, they talked some more and—boom! They blow up at each other and start throwing grenades to elevate the situation…or in Suzaku's case he stabs Lelouch…and now he's apologizing for it!

Suzaku was silent for a moment. He bit his lip, his eyes still down. Lelouch knew he was thinking but he couldn't help but wonder to himself that he didn't want to wait till the next century for an answer.

"For both," Suzaku finally settled on as reply. "Mostly for the stabbing though."

"So you meant the death threats?"Lelouch concluded.

Suzaku looked up at him a smile stretching into his features. "Overall? Yes."

Lelouch just looked at him. "…so you are sorry you tried to kill me but not sorry you told me you wanted to lynch me?"

Another smile blossomed on Suzaku's face. He looked bashful now back down to their hands. "Yeah that sounds about right."

"Huh." Lelouch let out. "That makes so much sense Suzaku really the subject is crystal clear now."

Suzaku just smiled at him sheepish.

Lelouch rolled his eyes. "Well come on let's give this damn walking thing another go."

Suzaku nodded gripping on to Lelouch's hands. Lelouch pulled in a breath before he tried tentively to place his weight on to his feet. It hurt like the dickens and yet that statement has no merit on how much pain Lelouch really was in. His teeth gritted at the pull along the sketchy red line that extended down his front. He slid his feet a bit farther apart for a bit more balance in a wider stance. Suzaku watched him carefully ready to catch him if something did happen. Lelouch hissed and dug his nails into Suzaku's skin as he tried slowly to pull his foot to cooperate. It wasn't his foot it was the pulling of his legs that hurt so much. He would lift his foot fine then go to extend his foot and agony would be the result.

"I change my mind, Suzaku, you bastard!" Lelouch gritted out. "You stabbed me!"

Suzaku let a smile flicker. "I did say I was sorry."

Lelouch pulled himself to take one step at the very least.

"Let me reiterate. You, former Knight of Zero! Stabbed! Me, your former Emperor!" He already felt spent. He might actually welcome a chance to sleep after this. "With a freaking five foot sword no less! I would think that a simple sorry doesn't count much here."

"You ordered me to do it." Suzaku pointed out.

"Since when did you start following my orders!"

"When you knighted me, remember?"

Lelouch looked at him. "You know what I have a secret about the Knighting come closer."

Suzaku's brow creased, but he leaned forward…and Lelouch snapped his hand out of Suzaku's grip before he smacked Suzaku up side of the head.

"Ow!" Suzaku yelped. "What was that for?"

"You stabbed me!" Lelouch said making a dramatic gesture with his free hand.

"Okay, I'm sorry I stabbed you." Suzaku tried again.

"You already said that." Lelouch pointed out.

It was Suzaku's turn to roll his eyes. "Then what do you want me to say?"

Lelouch leered up at him. Suzaku only looked back. Lelouch stifled the urge to double over again and looked back down to his feet.

"Did it have to be there though? I mean you're a freaking exercise guru shouldn't you have known that this whole muscle region played such a huge role in well any movement!" Lelouch asked.

"It was either this or decapitate you and it isn't possible to be saved from decapitation as far as I know."

"I never asked to be saved!" Lelouch hissed. His brow creased and eyes burned up at Suzaku.

"I know." Suzaku beamed. "I did that all by my lonesome."

Lelouch grunted in acknowledgement. It was no use arguing over the subject anyway. They'd just end up in a real fight and then Lelouch would never be able to even cross the room. Besides he had yet to get three feet from the bed. They stayed silent for a moment as Lelouch pulled in another breath. Suzaku offered his hand again after a minute and Lelouch slid his pale hand to grasp Suzaku's again. Lelouch looked up at the Japanese man. Suzkau tilted his head at him with a look of inquiry. Lelouch gave a nod. Suzaku took a step back as Lelouch took one very slow and agonizing step forward. Lelouch looked up at him. Suzaku beamed back with a bright smile. Lelouch forced himself into another painful step. His muscles burned as he stood there a moment to regain his breath.

Lelouch was abruptly surprised as Suzaku let go of his hands.

"Wha—" he was about to protest before he was silenced as Suzaku pulled the dark blue hoody a bit more over his shoulders then went back to grip at his elbows now.

Lelouch blinked as he gripped on to the sleeves of Suzaku's officers uniform.

"Thank you." He said softly.

Suzaku nodded. "You're welcome, but for what exactly?"

"The hoody," Lelouch looked up at him. "And the shirt,"

"They are nowhere near fitting on you but I figured you wouldn't care all that much as long as I found you something to wear." Suzaku said with a light smile.

"I'm grateful to finally have cloths." Lelouch said. He took a careful step forward.

Suzaku smiled. "This may be the first time you've ever told me you were thankful for anything." He glanced behind Lelouch. "Look you've made it almost five feet possibly."

Lelouch glanced over his shoulder. "So much effort all for possibly three full steps,"

"Depends on the person who took those steps," Suzaku said close to Lelouch.

Lelouch looked back at him.

"I mean for a toddler that's at least five possibly six steps if they're a midget." Suzaku said before he started to chuckle.

Lelouch leered at him. "That was so comforting Suzaku, really. I feel all better now about having only made it three steps."

"It's a start." Suzaku reasoned.

"Hmm." Lelouch hummed and took a carful step again. This time it was accompanied with an abnormally abrupt sharp pain that pulled at his abdomen. "Ahn!" He let out before his knees gave.

Suzaku acted quicker than Lelouch would have expected. He drove his arms around Lelouch and caught him before he'd sank even half an inch closer to the floor. He held him firmly around the waist with one arm and his other arm around his shoulders holding the former emperor to him. Lelouch found himself clutching at the uniform under his fingers as he grasped on to Suzaku for support. It was a long moment they both stayed like that. Lelouch wasn't sure if neither moved because they couldn't or because they had no desire to. Lelouch could feel how warm Suzaku was under the thick orange colored suit coat. He could feel the subtle rise and fall of Suzaku's breath. Suzaku's breath was very warm over him also. It danced over his cheek reminding him of something he'd only felt very, very long ago.

Lelouch finally gathered up the strength to look up. He was met with wide leafy green pools. They were searching his face, for what he didn't know, but he suddenly remembered how amazingly deep those eyes were. He'd forgotten how even Suzaku's pupils just looked liked a darker shade of forest.

He wasn't sure what happened next as Suzaku leaned closer down and he subconsciously leaned up. It was slow but at the same time it felt like it was hitting him all at once. Both of their eyes slid shut at the same moment as they were pulled together. Who initiated in the first touch Lelouch wasn't sure. He simply knew one moment they were separate and the next they were pressed together. The first soft touch of Suzaku's lips to his felt so reminiscent of when they used to actually indulge in behavior like this for any excuse they could find. Suzaku's hand found its way up from Lelouch's shoulders to gently lace through raven strands. Lelouch felt himself lean into Suzaku's lips. Suzaku opened his mouth pulling in a breath and drug his mouth across Lelouch's lips. Lelouch didn't open his mouth in reply only grounded his fists in Suzaku's uniform to pull himself more firmly into the kiss. Suzaku reciprocated moving his mouth softer but with more purpose in answer to Lelouch's actions. They molded so easily together. Suzaku palmed the back of Lelouch's head gently while Lelouch eyes became hooded. Suzaku's lips moved more directly over Lelouch's mouth his tongued sliding across Lelouch's bottom lip. Suzaku repeated the action, moving slower each time to try and get his purpose across. Lelouch almost lost himself then, He let his mouth open only the slightest bit until—

Suddenly the realization of what they were doing hit Lelouch hard at his reluctant compliance with his _former_, he had to keep reminding himself that, Knight. . He gasped and his eyes flew open as he jerked back from Suzaku. Startled Suzaku jumped a bit as Lelouch broke the encounter with such force. Lelouch pushed himself away with weak spindly fingers splayed across Suzaku's chest. He had succeeded in putting a minimal amount distance between the two teens, though neither ever seemed to remember the fact that they were, yes, still just teenagers. Lelouch, knowing he never had a hope fighting off Suzaku in good health let alone when he was half starved and just starting to recover from impalement, let one of his hands shakily come up to instinctively cover his right eye.

"Lelouch?" Suzaku said softly. He had yet to let go around Lelouch's waist his hand still tangled in his hair at the back of his head.

Lelouch didn't look at him only vaguely aware of his question. Still shaky he tried pushing himself harder away from Suzaku. Suzaku let him go reluctantly, releasing him all at once. Lelouch who had been pushing at him was caught by surprise and stumbled painfully back.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku let out and stepped forward to him.

Lelouch scrambled away from those tanned solid hands. His feet unstable under him each step forward had been more than a challenge, backward had proved itself nearly impossible. He almost fell before he finally located the bed behind him and pulled himself to it. He quickly sat on it his wound was aflame with the rushed movements and his breath came in heaves as not only the wound was lashed out but he lashed out at himself.

"Oh god—" He unconsciously let out. He was losing his grip and he knew it. A year ago this would have never happened. A few weeks ago it hadn't happened! He had been around Suzaku constantly! He had been infatuated with trying to teach the boy how to be Zero on a daily basis. They had worked on everything from the way he held his shoulders when lax to how to use his hands and gestures to get a point across. They had to be perfect was all Lelouch could think at the time.

But then—then Lelouch had forbade Suzaku to merely touch him. Not that he even had to say it. Besides at the first of their alliance he was the victim of Suzaku's unrelenting onslaught of pure rage and hatred. The least of the things Suzaku had said to him he still wished he could forget, the worst of them had all piled up hammering away at Lelouch perfect façade. Lelouch had been convinced that Suzaku just might kill him long before they ever got to the Requiem. Then miraculously Suzaku had stopped not over night exactly but over the course of a week or so it had all come to a stop.

The quiet knight had come from that. The knight Lelouch had claimed as his own. The knight that had stood next to him day and night. He had started to attend to Lelouch more than any servant or guard. He would meet him at the door to his room in the mornings and wouldn't leave his side until that night when he would escort him to that same door finally willing to leave him be. He had never said more than a few stringed sentences during those days. When they had first started to work on Suzaku taking on the role as Zero Lelouch had been startled to hear Suzaku's voice so much more often than he had grown used to.

But now as Lelouch looked back he saw it. Suzaku had longed to touch him all that time. Fist lashing out then second getting as close as he could manage without actually touching him and now was this the kiss…Suzaku had lost his control over his hands so to speak.

"Lelouch?" Suzaku repeated the boys name for the third time and went to him directly. Lelouch wasn't sure it was intentional or instinctive but Suzaku slid to one knee before him.

Lelouch's hands went to hide his face from his knight. His brain screamed at him that this was all wrong. Things were not supposed to go like this and especially not now, not when Lelouch was so close to what he wanted. Here he was stuck, just stuck in his former life. He needed to move on, he needed to die!

"No," Suzaku pleaded as his hands went to Lelouch's, which were occupied trying desperately to hide him from his knight. "No, don't!" Suzaku let out as his strong hands covered Lelouch's long spindly fingers. "Look at me, talk to me, please."

"Stop it, Suzaku!" Lelouch hissed as best he could.

"I won't." Suzaku shot back at him in an assured voice.

Exactly what Lelouch feared, the boy's voice held conviction. Suzaku was amazingly good at conviction.

"Please, talk to me." Suzaku said again.

"Suzaku…" Lelouch lamented.

"What?" Suzaku pleaded. "What, Lelouch? I'm right here! Just say it! Just tell me what is wrong and I will fix it, I swear!" Suzaku whimpered his voice fraught with that same conviction. "I'm right here Lelouch! I've always been right here. Just tell me please!"

Lelouch let Suzaku pull his hands from his face before he chose to answer. "We can't fix this." His amethyst eyes glued to Suzaku he tried so very hard for him to understand what he was saying.

"I can't fix this, because you won't let me fix this!" the words tore out of Suzaku's mouth as he lifted his hands to Lelouch's face again.

The statement had caught Lelouch's' attention though. 'you won't let me fix this.' Suzaku was stating that he alone could fix it if Lelouch would let him, but more over that he had been the cause of the problem by starting off the statement with 'I.' He was blaming something that had been both and neither of their faults on him…again.

"Suzaku…" Lelouch sighed heavy with his own thoughts. "Don't do this."

"Why not?" Suzaku reasoned. "Why the hell not? You're here Lelouch, finally you're here somewhere I can do this and you still insist we not, just tell me why?"

Lelouch searched that tanned Japanese face. He felt Suzaku's thumb as it stroked lovingly across his cheek. He was offing himself up to him again, still as his knight. The awful part was Lelouch didn't have an answer for him. What could he tell him anyway? We can't kiss because I plan on ending it soon but I can't tell you that because I know you'll stop me. That wasn't an answer! That was a lie anyway. Lelouch was simply left with what he was good at, what he'd always been good at, evasion.

"You need to go Suzaku." Lelouch said weakly.

Suzaku's face—looked devastated. He was completely crushed. His mouth held slightly agape with lost words stilled on his lips, his eyes wide as he searched Lelouch's face for any possibility that what he had just said to him wasn't true. A half a second later his eyes darted to the floor and his mouth closed to a heart wrenching frown, slight enough that Lelouch knew he had hurt him.

"Please, just leave now." Lelouch forced himself to say.

Suzaku's eyes were still focused somewhere on the floor. His hand frozen on Lelouch's cheek.

"I—" Suzaku started his eyes shook a little moving rapidly with thought. "I—" he stammered again.

Lelouch really was starting to want him out. He'd enraged Suzaku several times in his life. He'd seen him completely consumed with that rage to the point he would more than threaten Lelouch, to the point he would pull his fingers around his neck and squeeze at times so close to actually hurting Lelouch. He'd been dragged in front of his father as consequence of that rage. He could still remember how it felt as Suzaku's foot had held him face down in front of him as Lelouch had pleaded for his help. He's seen every face and every shade of what Suzaku's rage had came in. The thing was that he knew how to deal with all of that. He'd had dealing with Suzaku's wrath down to a formula. But Suzaku's disappointment, his utter destruction, his crumpled and half self, that was something Lelouch had never had to deal with. Even with Euphy—he had simple gotten mad, again.

Lelouch didn't know what to do. His knight in front of him hadn't moved for close to a minute probably. His eyes still lost, his face down, but not clouded. His lips trembled slightly as he would purse then let them fall open as if he might let his internal dialog spill out. But nothing would and a second later he could clamp his trembling lips shut again and try pressing the frown into a hard line. His eyes were still wide. Lelouch only wished he could read them and their hidden emotion as they would shake, only slightly, like he was unable to focus on anything in particular.

Lelouch could barely stand it any longer. "Just go, Suzaku." he reached up gently pulling Suzaku's hand from his face, he cradled that hand as he pulled it down to his lap and tried returning it to Suzaku.

Suzaku finally looked at him "No." he whispered. He started to shake his head slowly.

"Don't make this worse, please, we've done this before—" Lelouch started, stopping himself from lifting his own hands to cup Suzaku's face.

"I won't do it again." Suzaku growled cutting him off.

Lelouch startled didn't have a response ready.

Suzaku surged at the opportunity. "I won't do it. I've already told you I'm here. I'll always be here for you. But I'm not here as some statue like I was when we were at the palace. I'm here as your knight, always your knight and I will not let you tell me you don't want me like that still or that we can't fix what we lost. We haven't even tried Lelouch."

It was Lelouch's turn to gawk now.

Suzaku pulled his hand from Lelouch's hands harshly. Lelouch was mildly surprised. For once it was Suzaku who didn't feel like touching.

"I'm here, I'm staying here." Suzaku reaffirmed.

Lelouch snapped out of his spell. "Leave." He had to get Suzaku out of here. He had to stop this conversation.

"No." Suzaku said, his voice had that conviction again.

"Suzaku!" Lelouch snarled.

"No." He growled back. "Do you know the meaning of the word any longer?"

"Don't you dare!" Lelouch hissed.

"Dare what? Disobey you?" Suzaku growled low in his chest.

Lelouch could feel the rumble of his voice from the very little distance between them, but that didn't stop him from biting back. "Suzaku, don't push this!"

"What that you're getting sick to death over the fact you can't order everyone around anymore?"

Lelouch lurched to stand but was stopped immediately by strong hands that he wasn't sure if they pushed or pulled him back down but he found himself sitting again.

"If I'm not leaving neither are you." Suzaku snarled. "Besides it's not like you could ever make it far without me."

"I'm not bound to you!" Lelouch cursed.

"No." Suzaku said with a sneer. "You've simply destroyed any hope of having a relationship with anyone but me."

"So what you'll hold me captive until you finally get what you want?" Lelouch fisted his hands in the sheets, livid now.

"I already have what I wanted," Suzaku assured him.

"What even was that, Suzaku, indulge me?" Lelouch hissed his silver tongue ready to strike. "You've had me, you've had every part of me, what you want me to suffer? Or is it the moments you want? Do you enjoy watching me flounder this much in my impotence?"

"I never—" Suzaku started, shaking his head.

"To think they called me the ruthless one when really all along it's been you!" Lelouch snarled. "You want to see me suffer that much!" He flew into motion them pulling at the hoody to get it off his arms.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku said his voice deep with anger.

"You want more of my blood is that it? Is that really the issue at hand? You haven't had enough yet have you! You have taken everything from me so why not more!" Lelouch spat, snarled, and hissed. He ignored the pain in his mid-region and pulled at the IV needle strapped to his arm. He wasn't hooked up but he didn't need it to be. The medical tape holding it on was proving more difficult then he'd thought as he resorted to his teeth to rip at it.

"Stop." Suzaku was the one to order now.

His hands immediately grasped on to Lelouch's wrists. Lelouch reasoned he still had his teeth and before Suzaku could wretch his arm away. He latched on to a mouth full of tape and plastic. Then as Suzaku jerked his arm away he'd done the hard part for Lelouch without even realizing it. Lelouch let out a gritted but still loud, long hiss, his entire body tensing and his fingers twisted with the pain as the long needle was torn out of his arm.

Suzaku stopped as he looked wide eyed at the arm in his grasp, Blood dribbled down the limb from the brutally ripped open vein. Suzaku held the arm up as he stood. Lelouch spat the plastic bloody mess to the floor before looking to Suzaku. The soldier's teeth ground together and his lip curled in an unheard growl. His livid eyes were pointed own at Lelouch.

"Why do you always pull stupid shit like this?" he ground out.

Lelouch just gave a sneer. "You pleased with amount? Or would you like me to open my torso back up?"

Suzaku reeled in disgust as he pulled himself up. His broad shoulders framed up his powerful build. He gripped tighter on to Lelouch's wrist, possibly bruised.

"More pain? How pleasant." Lelouch hissed as he felt Suzaku dig his fingers inward.

"You are so infuriating!" Suzaku let out through twisted features.

"Will you be requiring another offering?" Lelouch goaded. "I could dig out that needle and drag it across my other arm if you like."

"Lelouch!" Suzaku howled.

"What? You don't like masochism?" Lelouch asked mock innocents on his face. The look contorted fast as he glared up at Suzaku. "I would think you of all people would have a certain shall we say grounded appreciation for it."

Blood that had dripped lazily on to the white floor at their feet appeared to increase in speed and amount as the torn vein at Lelouch's arm seemed to recognize the call for more blood. The only one noticing was Suzaku though as his eyes would skirt back and forth between the challenge in Lelouch's gaze to the mess of his newly wounded arm.

"Stop doing this to us!" Suzaku howled again. "Stop trying to manipulate me and trying to weasel your way out!"

Lelouch snorted. "Does that mean you want more blood? Or will you finally just end it, like you should have a week and a half ago?"

Suzaku didn't answer him only started down at him like he had been doing oh so much lately.

"Really Suzaku quit being a pain in the ass and do your job." Lelouch said low like it was more of a disgusted thrown out comment than an insult.

Suzaku's eyes alighted at that. He ground his teeth harder before Lelouch felt himself lifted suddenly by that arm. He sucked in a breath as his abdomen tightened at the seam and his shoulder gave a spasm of pain in protest. It didn't last long though as Lelouch felt himself pitched back. He slammed into the bed his head thankfully hitting a pillow instead of the headboard only to find himself pinned immediately by Suzaku.

"I am doing my job you son of a bitch." Suzaku hissed his face so close Lelouch could feel his hot breath across his flushing cheeks. "I'm keeping you next to me and alive. I'm your knight and I'll protect you for as long as I _live_." At that last word the Geass hidden deep in those emerald eyes flared and flashed scarlet before it died down to from mere sparks.

Lelouch could only watch as Suzaku quickly found the wrist restraints and strapped them on harshly. Lelouch winced at just how tight he had adjusted them. He squirmed under his hold but found it impossible as the knight had him over powered in every physical aspect. He hadn't put his all into he struggles anyway. What was the point? Once it had turned physical Lelouch had lost for sure. He didn't have a single hope against the Japanese soldier. Besides that he knew Suzaku too well. Where anger made others incompetent and sloppy it only fueled Suzaku's fires with gasoline. Lelouch glared livid with heat but there wasn't much he could do at this point. Suzaku was no longer listening to him and he was again strapped down.

"Let me go!" Lelouch hissed. He yanked at the wrist restraints.

Suzaku gave a wry smile. Before leaning in and pressing his lips to Lelouch's hard. He pulled away before Lelouch had a chance to bite and whispered maliciously against parted lips. "Never."

He stood then rigid and soldierly. His military issued boots thunked against the tile as he stepped to the head of the bed and swept a tanned hand through raven tainted locks. He then pulled away all together.

"I'll send someone in about your arm." He said toneless before turning he stopped as the automatic door slid open. "Oh, and I'll be back tonight." It was said more like a threat than a tacked on side note but it didn't matter it only made Lelouch snarl from the bed.

He stepped into the threshold and turned giving a theatric bow, "Until tonight my dear princess."

"You bastard!" Lelouch let rip from his throat. It was the first thing he could think as Suzaku, stone faced, stepped out of the way of the door and let it slide closed as he turned to leave.

* * *

Lelouch flexed his hand, still tense from his earlier fight with Suzaku. Alana was next to him. The red light of Geass amplified in the dark room. Her movements were precise and conserved as she slowly wrapped Lelouch's arm. Lelouch fumed, seated on against the head board. All other thoughts forgotten he looked to the door. It was closed but not locked. Possibly dangerous but He had to get his plans in motion, especially after what had just happened. He couldn't wait any longer for Suzaku to finally come around and realize he wasn't here to stay.

Lelouch flexed his fingers again. They looked like spider legs curling in and out. Alana still under Geass didn't seem to notice as she methodically kept on wrapping.

"What is the status on my Knight?" Lelouch asked in a deep commanding voice.

"He's left the building my Lord, I'm not sure where he is, but he left as Zero." She said robotic in her speech.

"Good." Lelouch said darkly. "Now about him leaving to the Chinese Federation,"

Alana looked up at him so his eyes could meet her red ringed ones. The Geass under his contact burned to make connection, but he only smiled.

"Tell me when exactly does he plan on leaving?"

* * *

_Oh why does it always go like this? I write a nice, happy, fluff-filled chapter then Suzaku and Lelouch end up at each other's throats again! I guess that's why I love these two in the end though. Completely meant for each other and yet they want each other dead. Yeah, I'm a hopeless romantic, what of it? _

_I felt like it was incredibly short with it's still over 6,500 words. So I'm sorry for the shortness but hey there quite a bit of action and you and I both know Lelouch isn't going to take this sitting down per say. So a promise for some more great action in the next chapter. Also I'm working on getting my new CG fanfiction up and out so look for that as well. It's a faerie tale! I'm so excited for it! It's going to be so great! The first chapter should be out a week after this one…or at least that's my plan. _

_Chapter Question! Okay, last question was 'when did Lelouch put Alana under Geass?' Someone got it right! I'm so happy! Ychele! You were totally Right! It's in Chapter Two! Early in the chapter like the second paragraph Alana came in to check on Lelouch and Suzaku was still asleep. And walla! A bit of smooth talking and Lelouch gets his own personal servant! If it still doesn't make sense don't stress the whole scene of him putting her under will be presented in a later chapter. _

_So this week, my question is supremely easy. It also has two parts. __**What did Suzaku and Lelouch name their intimate interactions? A clue is it comes from something Suzaku quotes, what is it he quotes? **__Good Luck. _

_Now for the personal Question: __**What is your pet peeve?**_

_My top one has to be the sound of people chewing though. I can freaking get annoyed at myself from this! Mouth closed or not the sound is so annoying! You guys have no idea how many times I have hit one of my siblings upside the head for simply chewing gum. For me it's like my own personal nails on a chalk board. I hate that sound! I can pick it out like at hundred feet away too! And eating out with friends or dates, yeah I talk a lot just to keep myself occupied and not paying attention to the sound of eating. It's just so annoying. _

_Oh and people who complain while they themselves show no amount of ambition, goals, or conviction to handwork. If you think there's something that's a problem get off your ass and do something about it! Gosh just sitting there and blabbing on and on about how the world sucks isn't helping anybody! Seriously!_

_Anyway have a great weekend and see you later!_

_~Review they make me dance around my room~_


	7. Imperfect Resolve

_Hey Guys so Here we are, back for another chapter! Everybody say whooooooot! …or not that's cool to, I guess. But hey guys thanks for reading and I hope you guys like this one. And I am Sorry, I feel like I'm lagging in getting these updates out and I'm so sorry for it! I'd love to give you a cool answer but I don't got one. Mostly its that I'm home…so all my free time isn't exactly spent on the laptop…or you know writing. It'skindofmaybespentwithfriends…hehe….love you guys keep reading!_

_Special Thanks to: _**Toki, ****Aoi Faith****, ****Atheist1****, ****Strawberry, ****LittleBlackRaven****, ****roses-have-thorns911****, ****luckless-is-me**, **Cupcake-sama, ****CrystalStarlight95****, Noname!** (I was actually quite pleased to see you came back for more! You be cool.) **applepie1989, ****SaiSuki 1329****, ****Forlorn Maiden****,****Otaku786****, XienRue, ****Yougurholic**

_Questions: From _**luckless-is-me** _Hey thank you so much for your great comments! And thanks for saying such sweet things about wanting to read my new stuff! It made me so excited! Anyway You asked me what the title was of my new CG fanfic. And it should if I Have this planned right have been out a week before this chapter is posted and its title is Curse of Fayte. It's a fairy tale of Lelouch and Suzaku so I hope you lovers it! Thank you again, you are so sweet!_

* * *

Amethyst King

Chapter Seven

Imperfect Resolve

12/27/2010 1:47 PM

* * *

Suzaku's long Knight of Zero cloak weighed down on his shoulders as he walked through the darkened palace hall. Lelouch had held conference with him every night since they had crashed the party, so to speak, and Suzaku figured tonight wouldn't be any different than any other night as he continued down the long halls leading him to the throne room. The conferences were never long. He knew it had more than likely been his doing for that. He did admit the threats were getting out of hand a little, but it was hard to stop when he saw Lelouch squirm slightly at a well placed insult. Those were the best, when he could get that façade to slip even just a little and see a sincere flash of fear. It was always gone just as fast as he would slide that stone cold wall back in to place and go on with whatever he was doing. The best had been one night when they had inevitably gotten into another argument. C.c. hadn't been present and neither had anyone else. The argument had escalated and Suzaku had ended up slamming the arrogant bastard against the side of his own throne. His fingers had curled around that pale thin neck as he watched that black front dissipate and Lelouch…his Lelouch was back. A terrified Lelouch that was for sure, but it was his. He'd pried that imperial mask cemented to his face off for once, even if it was only for that minute or so he had held him close in a death threat, but it was at the least something.

Suzaku turned a corner. It was already dark down this last hall. The lights all shut off for the night. Up a head was the door way to the throne room. A small crack of light escaped striking a line across the alabaster stone flooring. Suzaku stopped. C.c. was before him, but she wasn't looking to him. He wasn't sure if she had even seen him in the dark hall. She continued to the door and looked around curiously before slipping in and pulled the door closed behind her. Lucky for him though, it didn't close all the way. Open now only a sliver, there was a thin thread of golden light that escaped the door. Suzaku was frozen in place. C.c. didn't normally take such care with anything especially going into simply see Lelouch. He looked down. His dark formal cloths were probably a huge reason why C.c. hadn't seen him.

He surged forward then to the door. Cautious once he reached it Suzaku crept to hear what was going on in the vast room. If he was lucky Lelouch would be talking loud enough to be heard. Then again the throne room had been built to amplify any voice coming from the throne, but only if one was in the enclave where the throne sat.

A smirk immediately broke on Suzaku's face as he heard Lelouch's voice carried to him. "You have come a long ways with me C.c." It was the same deep tone of authority he used so much as of late. "I'm grateful that you have stayed this long with me."

"You have taken Geass to a whole new level Lelouch. You are by far one of my most interesting contracts." C,c,'s toneless voice carried to him as well.

Suzaku slid closer ever so slightly to the slivered crack in the door. It was quiet in the room for a long moment. Suzaku wasn't sure if he had missed anything of value or not. He slid closer just far enough to peek through the crack. At the head of the room sat Lelouch in his throne. At his feet was a gray suitcase. It was propped open to reveal—Zero. The vestiges of the man, at least. In Lelouch's lap was the mask, cradled in the cloak that cascaded down to Lelouch's feet. It pooled there over his shoes, one corner still laying over the edge of the open suitcase, where it continued down even farther. Lelouch held the mask in his lap his fingers running over the shape as he looked to be memorizing every inch. His eyes were pointed down at the mask, barely visible through the tangle of inky strands, as his head tipped farther downward to the mask. C.c. was walking slow, lazily making her way up the room to Lelouch.

"I trust you've taken care of any possible interruptions." C.c. said.

Lelouch didn't look up as his fingers traced over the dark blue face. "We won't be bothered by any of the servants and I have sent a servant to inform Suzaku we won't be meeting tonight and since Suzaku doesn't seem to have any desire to be in my presence I don't see why he would feel the need to join us. "

Suzaku lowered his brow; he had obviously never gotten that message.

"It hurts you having him around." C.c. stated.

Lelouch still didn't look up. "Not as much as it once did." He commented, his voice was weaker, less deep, more pitch. . "It was harder when I had to deal with his betrayal of me for a spot on the rounds. Now he's nothing if not forthright with me."

C.c. reached the steps and easily glided up them to her contractor. She looked down at the mask as she came up at Lelouch's side.

"The worst he does now is threaten to kill me all the time." Lelouch said as he looked up. An amused smile was present in his features.

"He still hurts you." C.c. said.

"Physically? Well he has actually only tried to kill me once, but emotionally? We've become too distant for that." A bit of that depth in his voice was injected into this statement.

Suzaku's eyebrows furrowed at that as a frown pulled at his mouth, slightly open to jump to his defense, but he stopped himself before he'd made the mistake of announcing to the two he was there. Suzaku wanted to defend this. They weren't distant! They spent so much time together here that being distant wasn't possible. And yet, he'd noticed it too, They spoke to each other only when necessary, they looked at each other only briefly. He'd just never thought of it in those terms. This wasn't just another fight where they would ignore each other for a while then make up over it later. They were actually separating from each other this time.

"You still have feelings for him." C.c. said emotionless.

"Of course I do." Lelouch said quieter as he, avoidant, looked down at the mask. "He used to be my everything." His brow creased and a gritted growl escaped his lips as he continued. "I don't even know him now." The viciousness died almost instantly. "But I still care for him." A hint of brokenness was present through his voice. Through the next statement "I know I will probably always feel something for him." His fingers started to stroke at the mask again. They shook this time though as he pressed the tips uneasily down. "He was mine at one time. I used to think about us all the time. Or at the very least, about us finding a way to stay together,"

Suzaku stepped closer to the cracked doors. His emerald eyes focused on Lelouch…his Emperor.

"Rather juvenile for you, Lelouch."

"I know." He said his eyes were still focused downward on the mask. "We were so in love. I breathed him. The days I didn't see him I would ache too. Even when we were simply just friends…I always felt like I needed to be near him." He let out a quiet chuckle. "I sound like such a child." He paused, his fingers stilled for just a moment. "Like some star struck Juliet." He murmured.

"His insults hurt you." C.c. said again.

Another statement, Suzaku understood suddenly. She was trying to comfort him. She was a cold heartless bitch so obviously it wasn't anything like Suzaku knew he could do but she was trying. She was giving Lelouch cues to talk and tell her his problems. She was doing her best at helping him.

"Not as much as my rejections of him do." He gave a snort. "It's been ages since we had a real conversation. I fear it would take a major shock to both our systems to stumble out of the awkward mess we've created for ourselves." Lelouch confided on. "But yes they do hurt at times. He'll barely look at me anymore without that awful, cold glare—he really is a killing machine, and he's perfect at his job."

Suzaku had to stop himself from taking another step closer to the door.

"He has physically hurt you."

Lelouch looked away to a distant pillar. "The bruises will fade before we go through with the Requiem." His eyes narrowed. "He didn't mean to kill me. If he had, I wouldn't be here still. It just makes it clear how much he hates his own mistakes."

"Mistakes?" this was most definitely a question, the first from C.c.

Lelouch acknowledged and answered freely. "He was substituting me for someone entirely different."

"Euphy." C.c. concluded toneless.

Lelouch ducked his head in a nod. He looked to be holding his jaw stiff. "He loved her. He never even breathed a word about it to me, but I knew it." He looked to C.c. "It was the knighting that I finally made me figure it all out. Before I had a hunch, but nothing solid to go on and after—"He stopped with a short choking sound that escaped gritted teeth. "I always thought that nothing could compare to how hurt I felt when Nunnally was injured. It was pathetic, I was pathetic!" His ground out each word with pain it appeared. "I hated him!" the slight elevation in his voice rang out through the vaulted room. "I just—I couldn't let him go, he was mine! That night even after he—Oh god, I wanted to kill him then and there!" his jaw clamped down at the last word. It stayed clamped for a brief moment before a sigh was breathed into the air. "I love him. I loved him then too. I was proud of what he'd accomplished. I guess that's why in the end the only order he got from me was to live."

Suzaku wasn't sure which night Lelouch was referring to but it didn't matter as he had to concentrate to hold himself still at that door.

Amethyst eyes turned to the mask in his lap again. "After that, I told myself I had to let him go. I thought I did such a good job too." He gave a sigh. "Too many things happened so fast and now, I'm doing it again." a small sad smile flickered on thin pale lips. "I'm holding him at gun point practically. He can't leave me here." He looked up absent of real focus. "I feel like whatever we have left is too blood stained to even want to go back to. It ended the day I knighted him." Lelouch's voice quieted. "Ironic as that is. I used to dream of him being my knight and now that he is, it all dies on that same very moment I'm supposed to feel is so perfect. Now what is dead in emotion will soon be dead in the physical."

Suzaku balked at the words Lelouch was so freely letting spill out.

"Are you glad he accepted your deal?"

Lelouch nodded. "I am." The voice was strong but by the next statement had started to crack. "As much as I don't want to, I trust him still."

Suzaku planted his feet holding himself in place. The frown deepening on his face as he bit his bottom lip and his palms went up to press one on either door.

It was silent in the room for a long moment. The only movement was that of Lelouch's fingers moving over the mask lovingly. A single tear that streaked down his face made no sound as it ran along Lelouch s prominent jaw line to fall to the mask at his lap. It was just as silent as Lelouch had remained over so many other things. C.c. stepped closer a delicate hand pulled Lelouch's head to her as she sat on the arm rest. Lelouch let her and leaned against her side as another tear found its way across his alabaster cheek.

"We don't have to do this tonight." C.c. said there was as always a certain lack of emotion in her voice, but Suzaku could tell she was trying to be helpful.

"No." Lelouch said firmly. "It'll be just as bad any other time. I need to start working with him as soon as I can, which means I need to get this done now."

"Alright." C.c. said. She didn't release him though and one of Lelouch's hands went to one of hers as he turned his face into her side. His long fingers clutched at her feminine hands that curled slightly around the side of his head. His other hand gripped at the mask and Suzaku could make out the slight tremble of his shoulders as C.c. stroked at his raven hair.

The scene was eating Suzaku alive to see. He could barely tear his eyes away long enough to blink.

Abruptly Lelouch pulled himself from C.c. detangling them immediately. He looked down at the mask.

"Let's get on with it." He said and pulled as much confidence into his voice as possible despite the still flowing tears.

C.c. nodded as she sank fluidly to the floor next to him. She leaned against Lelouch's legs and Lelouch lifted the dark blue waist coat from the suitcase.

"I don't know if this could fit Suzaku." Lelouch said stoic.

C.c. took it from him holding it up and stretching it at the shoulders. "The shoulders would need broadened along with the wait taken out. He's not as slender as you. Also the shoulder pads will have to be taken out. He has powerful enough shoulders as it is." She considered it longer. Holding it up higher she stretched and pulled slightly. She looked back to Lelouch a very slight frown on her face as she shook her head. "It's just too much, I believe you're right. We're simply going to have to have one made. This will fit too snug on him."

Lelouch nodded but didn't reach for the article since C.c. still held it.

"You made it from memory, didn't you?" C.c. asked.

Lelouch nodded. "Partly, I had to look up how exactly to make a waist coat. I could remember a bit of how I wanted it to look from my childhood."

"I remember you sifted through so many pictures till you found something this perfect." C.c. provided.

"It had to be perfect. I always thought that under that cloak I had to look like a prince." Lelouch smiled. "It was my own little allusion really, something to say that under all the lies I was still Lelouch vi Britannia."

C.c. handed the coat up to him. Lelouch took it carefully. He looked over it, holding it with firm hands. After a moment he took to memorize he started to fold. Paying close attention to every detail he folded carefully before letting it rest a brief moment next to the mask. Lelouch ran his fingertips pressed at the collar. More tears stained the folded coat as his fingers brushed over the soft velvet fabric. C.c. only watched him in no hurry as he spent just another moment longer over the coat, before he set it off to the side of the suitcase.

Next C.c. handed him the dark gloves. Suzaku stepped back. He couldn't bear to watch this. He'd hated Zero. He still hated him! But Lelouch was—he was taking a blunt butchers knife to himself over these things. Suzaku ran a shaky hand through his hair. His eyes were on Lelouch as he took the gloves from C.c. He pulled them on one by one carefully. Lelouch's amethyst eyes glazed over again with more water as he looked at them.

"He has shorter fingers than me." he swallowed hard. "He'd need the gloves tailored."

C,c. reached up taking Lelouch's hands. "We'll have to figure out a way for his fingers to look longer. So much focus was on your hands. Someone will notice if all of a sudden you go from your spindly long digits to Suzaku's solid broad ones."

Lelouch gave a nod.

Suzaku turned then from the door. His hand still in his hair he looked to the floor. His were eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. He realized he wasn't breathing and pulled in a long breath. He glanced over his shoulder at the cracked door. His eyes lingering over the spot he knew if he stepped closer he'd find Lelouch, his Lelouch—his Emperor. He turned abrupt at that. His hand fisting in front of him, his brow furrowed. He spun then to start down the hall. He was headed to the miles of gardens surrounding the palace. He needed to take a walk for awhile.

* * *

He didn't sleep that night and by the time he went back to his room there was just enough time to shower, clean up and then he made the trek to his Emperor's room. He waited there for him. He waited there as his Knight. Suzaku didn't feel much like talking and the insults and threats came too easily to his lips, but he was resolved and he didn't leave his Emperors side until that night when he escorted him back to his room.

* * *

Saying that Suzaku was stressed was like saying that Suzaku was busy, they were both laughable at how understated they both were. Lelouch could consider himself lucky if he saw the boy once for a few minutes at around seven in the morning. He could consider himself fortunate if he would get a second visit for a few more minutes at around ten to eleven at night. He could consider himself blessed if Suzaku dropped by for lunch and would spend close to thirty to forty-five minutes with him. He could consider himself touched by the hand of god himself if Suzaku had the time to spend a couple of hours at any time of the day just to be with him. He _could_ consider it all great—that didn't mean he did.

He faced away from Suzaku on the small couch that had appeared two days before. A book in his hand, Lelouch tried his best to ignore the man that sat next to him. Suzaku didn't seem bothered by Lelouch's cold shoulder as he was doing his own reading from the laptop sitting on his knees.

It had been five day since their blow up at each other and Lelouch hadn't said more than a handful of full sentences to Suzaku since then, and even those had been growled out orders or jabs to try and rile him. Lelouch had also tried his hardest to maintain distance. He felt he had done pretty well to. That didn't mean Suzaku didn't make sure he got a rose or two at least once every time he came. As for the couch, Lelouch reasoned that he was there first. Five days of stumbling around the room every chance he got had greatly improved his walking skills. Getting from the bed to the couch was something he was proud of. So when he had settled himself on the couch huddled up in the hoody (which was Suzaku's, but he wasn't acknowledging that) with the book (which Suzaku had given to him along with a whole stack of others, but he wasn't acknowledging that either) he had no intention of moving until he did it because he wanted to move, not just because Suzaku had decided to occupy the other side of the couch. It was in his room therefore it was his couch. He wasn't moving from _his_ couch.

Lelouch looked down at the printed words. He wasn't exactly enthralled in what he was reading, but it was better than acknowledging the space heater taking up the other side of his couch. Ignoring Suzaku all together had so far shown the most promise as far as this argument went. Insults bounced off Suzaku like bouncy balls (the bigger and better the insult the smaller the bouncy ball) and any orders he gave him were usually received with a loving smile and a brisk "No." His tactics were simply hard to stick to though. Especially at directly asked questions when his brain told him the best approach would be ignore him but his mouth was already half way through a sarcastic answer.

He tensed as Suzaku leaned back into the cushions and an arm went to rest along the back of the couch. Suzaku's eyes didn't waver from the laptop though as Lelouch spared a glance in his direction. Lelouch stopped at the glance and looked back.. He wasn't sure what Suzaku was reading but the curiosity was taking hold of him as he saw the legal mumbo jumbo displayed on the screen. His thoughts turned to asking if Suzaku could really read that and understand it all. He didn't have time to wonder though as Suzaku looked up and their eyes met.

A bright smile broke and Lelouch felt as the arm on the back rest moved forward. Suzaku's hand came up to press to the back of his head. He didn't use his hand to pull him closer only to hold him firmly there as he leaned forward. He pressed a chaste kiss against Lelouch's lips before he broke and sat back, his hand pulled away as well, to rest on the back of the couch again. Lelouch gave a curled upturned look of disgust before turning back to the bound book in his hand.

Silence was still established but that didn't mean that they had gone back to their respective positions. Lelouch could still feel Suzaku's eyes on him. As he knew he should, he ignored it. Instead now trying to concentrate on the words on the page again as well as he could. He hadn't gotten through a full paragraph when he heard Suzaku's voice.

"Lelouch," Suzaku said, his voice soft as his hands had just been.

Lelouch thought about not answering him, wondering what he could possibly want with him now? Of course, he was still curious so he looked back over his shoulder

"Why are you so angry at me for this?" Suzaku asked, as always going straight for his intended mark.

Lelouch didn't spare any further clemency including eye contact. He turned back and read on as he pulled one leg up to his chest and did his best to seem as if he was the only one in the room.

"Lelouch," Suzaku gave another soft beckoning. "Please, talk to me."

Lelouch read on. Cementing in his controlled cold shoulder he let his body shift just so that his shoulders faced away from the infuriating imbecile at his left.

"You know," Suzaku said nonchalant as his eyes lazed over his companion. . "If you don't talk to me we don't solve anything." a wry smile crossed his face. "And do you really want to stay in this stale mate?"

He was taunting him…well, more like teasing. Lelouch knew the difference by now between Suzaku's playful jabs and the hit-so-hard-he-wasn't-sure-if-he-could-recover-sane threats and taunts. The fact it was just a tease gave off the impression Suzaku wasn't taking this conversation seriously…that meant he'd probably try to bring it up again if gone unanswered. Lelouch gave a disdainful sigh before he chose to answer.

"This stale mate is possibly the best the both of us could hope for in this situation."

"Then just answer my question and we'll be done,"

"No."

"I'll keep pestering you."

"No."

"I can get you to answer me other ways."

"Screw off."

"I can't you aren't willing."

Lelouch looked at him. The insufferable former knight of his was wearing a devious smile that curled in a way he wouldn't openly admit was charming.

"You're impossible." Lelouch muttered before turning back to the book.

"You're breathtaking."

Lelouch flared at the thrust back comment. This was going nowhere incredibly fast. He felt a twitch start on his face before exasperated he mutter, "Fine, what is the question?" he turned just enough to see Suzaku for an answer.

"Why are you so angry at me over this?"

Lelouch looked away to his book answering shortly with a bored sigh. "You've broken your promise to me."

Suzaku was silent for a few seconds before commenting back. "You killed Euphy."

"So?" Lelouch thrust back.

"I could still choose to be angry about that couldn't I?" Suzaku said.

"Suzaku, you are still angry at me about that." Lelouch growled low.

"How do you know?" Suzaku said as he leaned back even more into the cushions. "We've never talked about it,"

"What was there to talk about?" Lelouch said forthright.

"A lot." Suzaku let out in a quiet voice.

Lelouch gave a snort.

It seemed for a moment that he had silenced the boy and that the conversation had come to a close. That was until he felt Suzaku's hand adjust away from his shoulder.

"Why did you hate her?"

"She was my sister," Lelouch sighed. "I didn't hate her,"

"Don't lie to me Lelouch." Suzaku let rip from his throat.

Lelouch's eyes shot to him, surprised at his abrupt tone.

Suzaku looked away too with his eyes on the wall. It wasn't shame that hid deep in the forest colored reaches. Lelouch narrowed his own eyes. Brooding was never something he liked to see from Suzaku.

"Yes, you are indeed no longer angry about this." Lelouch breathed before turning back to look down at his reading.

"You haven't answered any of my questions, Lelouch." Suzaku said his voice hoarse.

"Why would I answer something I consider irrelevant?"

"She was your sister!" Suzaku let that edge back into his voice.

"And you were her knight," Lelouch said rather quiet. "There's nothing more to discuss."

"Yes there is!" Suzaku full out growled this time.

Lelouch looked up at him. "Then inform me, what about her death would you like to know?"

"Why?" Suzaku snarled out almost immediately.

Lelouch found his breath caught in his throat for just a moment, but recovered quickly. "You know why."

"No, I know why Zero did it. I don't know why you did it!"

Lelouch gave a frustrated sigh. "The two are synopsis! I am Zero!"

"I recall you giving the mask to me!" Suzaku was yelling by this time.

"So by your own reasoning, you killed her." Lelouch said cold. He narrowed his eyes and watched for the blood to swell.

Suzaku stopped abrupt at the statement, just as Lelouch knew he would. "I never—" he started broken. His face became as it always did when Suzaku was faced with something he wanted to stay hidden. His mouth trembled, half open, his eyes seized unable to focus, but also unable to dart around to find a focus. He had been caught groundless, hung in mid-moment, with his bloody fears all laid out before him. Lelouch gave a twisted smile on the inside.

"You never were there to protect her when it really mattered, were you?" Lelouch ground out with a venomous expression on his face. As was in his nature he relished in the control; however, momentary it may be.

"You—I—" Suzaku stumbled his way through the fragments slow.

"Come to think of it, you couldn't even fulfill your promises to protect me, could you?" Lelouch pushed harder. "You have an amazing talent for falling just short of expectation." He proclaimed the words knowing full well their instant effect and reveled in the control.

"You killed her!" Suzaku abruptly blurted.

"No, that was Zero." The former Zero slipped from his silver tongue.

"Stop it!" Suzaku growled.

"Why? Are your failures finally becoming apparent to you?"

"You murderer!" Suzaku snarled.

"No less than you!"

"I was her Knight!"

"You were my Knight also!"

"I'm still yours!"

"You proclaimed you loved her!" Lelouch hissed out his chest heaving with the overwhelming effort of such a starch confession.

The room dropped into a standstill. Lelouch tore his gaze away to look at the book. He panted out several more breaths as he tried to calm himself. He'd said too much, as he always did around the former knight. His hands shook slightly as he tried to bring the forgotten book in his hands up to start reading again. He forced his digits to still as he set the book on the arm of the couch.

Suzaku stared at him, his mouth slightly agape. "It wasn't like that Lelouch!"

"It sounded exactly like that from what I could hear!" Lelouch forced himself to look away at the floor. Acknowledging that your former lover had betrayed you, and that you had known about it, and added to that fact was that you indeed had done very little to nothing about it, wasn't something Lelouch had found a way to handle gracefully yet.

"How the hell did you hear anything? It was a private line!"

Lelouch couldn't stand it though and leered back to Suzaku. "You don't really think that with Rakshata around we didn't have ways of listening in?"

Suzaku stared at him completely in shock it seemed. Lelouch looked away again. This time he looked back down to the book in his hand. He'd long lost where he was exactly but that didn't mean he couldn't act like he knew where he was. The silence lasted long enough Lelouch's eyes finally found their place and he picked up where he had left off. The sooner this conversation was over the better. Besides, playing cold shoulder was so much easier. He felt the heat in his ears as he tried to calm himself from the newly started conflict.

"You were always my number one, Lelouch." Suzaku stammered.

"Don't lie to me again, please, we've done enough of that between the two of us." Lelouch said turning the page.

"You really think I loved her more than you?" Cynical was something Suzaku rarely could pull but then again when he did it was usually spat out like just another threat.

Lelouch looked up at the knight. Suzaku looked back at him waiting for an answer. Lelouch toneless obliged. "Of course you did."

Suzaku moved forward to him and he turned his face away from him sliding that stone cold mask of resignation in smoothly. Undeterred Suzaku pressed slightly dry lips to the skin at Lelouch's neck. An unspoken apology, no doubt. Suzaku's hand found its way back to Lelouch's head holding him in place again. His movement gentle but still not to be disobeyed. Lelouch hated it, it felt far too much like coddling.

Suzaku spoke against Lelouch's throat. "I'll admit it, Lelouch, I always held Euphy up on a pedestal." Another kiss was pressed to Lelouch's neck. "But I have always had you in my arms."

Lelouch's eyes were on the floor his lips pressed together moving only slightly to let the words try to struggle out past the distain. "I told you I didn't want you lying to me, especially something as pathetic as that."

Suzaku sighed deeply at the statement. It wasn't a normal sigh. It was a sigh or lack of cooperation…as in Suzaku expected him to cooperate.

"Why does it even matter so much to you?" Lelouch abruptly hissed. "How does Euphy's death have anything to do with you breaking your promise to me?"

Suzaku pulled away at the question. "What are you suggesting, Lelouch?" He asked in a low growl.

Lelouch's head snapped to him. "You consider them of equivalent value as far as a betrayal goes."

"No." Suzaku said. "I don't consider myself betraying you at all."

"Then why bring her up?" Lelouch pressed.

"Because it was done at the fault of you."

"But you think you have committed no fault here. Why bring up one of my faults unless you were trying to minimize one of your own?"

"Showing you I still care is not a fault."

Lelouch growled his brow furrowed and voice working at the deep low level that only came when forced. "Stop taking this conversation in circles, Suzaku."

Suzaku struck back with his own threatening shout. "Then tell me what you're really trying to get at here!"

They both fell silent. A shock to their ears after their voices had become so raised in volume and harshness. Lelouch gritted his teeth but refused to look away from Suzaku. The only sound between them was that of their breath. For both of them it was harsh and abrupt, like breathing was only a mere distraction from the topic at hand.

"You are lying to me." Lelouch hissed. "You've lied to me ever since high school. Why didn't you ever just tell me you preferred my sister?" His voice was quieter than before but with no less amount of malice.

"Because I preferred you as I still do." Suzaku said firmly. He too had quieted his tone.

Lelouch let the book in his lap shut as he started to raise himself up. "Stop pouring this crap out to me, it's exhausting."

He was always shaky as he tried to take that initial stand. It was usually what hurt the most as getting up and on his feet would pull tight on his new seam.

"Than what would you have me do?" Suzaku asked. He didn't move as he watched Lelouch struggle to his feet. His lack of reaction only furthered his wrath.

"Leave." Lelouch answered shortly.

"No." Suzaku said, terse.

"Then just let me be." Lelouch said as he started his way to the bed. He wasn't exactly storming away since any fast or abrupt movements still caused pain. It wasn't as sharp and crippling like it had been since when was pain of any kind comfortable?

Suzaku was up briskly. Lelouch wandered faintly if it was meant as yet another taunt. "No." He said as he waltzed his way directly into Lelouch's path. He'd placed himself so they were face to face, which gave Lelouch zero amount of escape.

Lelouch stopped as he was met with the solid Japanese would-be-wall. He didn't want to look up at him, but it was inevitable and slowly his eyes drifted up. Violent and sharp he pressed his gaze up hoping to hurt.

"Answer my original question." Suzaku said firmly.

"I already did." Lelouch said his annoyance very much present. Suzaku wasn't dropping it though, still wanting an answer so Lelouch complied knowing there wasn't any other way around it. "You've broken your promise to me."

"I don't see it as that." Suzaku said.

Lelouch's eyes rolled. "Obviously." He went to move around Suzaku only to be blocked as the soldier side stepped.

"Why do you see it as me breaking my promise?" Suzaku asked.

"When I made you a knight, you swore you would never do this to me again."

"You are twisting my words, Lelouch. I was angry. It was meant as a threat not a promise. "

"That doesn't make it invalid."

Suzaku stopped. Lelouch glared at him. Standing was becoming tiring but he wasn't about to give into the soldier.

"Why do you want me to keep that promise so badly?"

Lelouch ground at his teeth. "This is going nowhere again!"

"Not if you'd just answer the damn question." Suzaku snarled.

A sneer pulled at Lelouch face. "Because you're not lying to me then!" he tried pushing his way past Suzaku only to be stopped by Suzaku's arm. Lelouch stepped back from the involuntary contact but Suzaku charged forward.

"I love you!" Suzaku growled. "What is such a lie about that?" Lelouch stepped a few more steps back. It was more from Suzaku confession than his physical advances on him. He hadn't heard those words since the two of them still wore identical uniforms.

"You love her!" Lelouch let out, resolving his own feelings fast.

Suzaku advanced to him. "Fine, I admit it! I did have feelings for her!"

"It didn't need saying, I already knew that." Lelouch cursed back as he tried raising himself up. Suzaku was bigger, there was no mistaking that, but if Lelouch pulled himself to his full height he was taller by over an inch.

Suzaku wasn't stopping his advance though as he stepped closer. He pulled himself up to the challenge. His mantle like shoulders squared and his chest rose. "Then you already know I was with you first, I loved you first, I—"

"You met her first." Lelouch interjected. "Don't deny it, I know it was Euphy who ordered you go to school at Ashford."

"I met you seven years before at my family's shrine."

Lelouch shook his head. "We were kids—that does not count. "

"We both got our first kiss at that shrine, remember that? It was each other."

"We were children; therefore, again mute point."

"You ever just consider we were meant for each other?" Suzaku asked.

Lelouch stared at him. "Oh, don't pull more of this crap!"

"Answer the question, Lelouch!" Suzaku growled out.

Lelouch glared and growled out before trying to move around Suzaku again. He was met this time with Suzaku's arm slinging him back to crash on to the couch. Lelouch landed with an 'umph' and went to stand again until he realized Suzaku was placing himself over him. Japanese hands on either side of his head Suzaku leaned in looking directly at the former emperor. Lelouch watched him but didn't move.

"Answer the question." Suzaku repeated.

Lelouch felt his breath catch in his throat causing a small choking noise, feeling imprisoned by Suzaku's gaze, not to mention the fact he was leering over him. His eyes skipped to the door behind them. Locked, of course.

"An answer!" Suzaku pressed, impatient.

"Yes." Lelouch let out closing his eyes tightly as he uttered the single word of defeat. "At one time I used to."

When his eyes opened again he was met with Suzaku's gaze, this time searching him furiously.

"Did you really?" Suzaku asked.

"Of course, I did!" Lelouch snarled. "With everything that was going on to have met you again seven years later—it was juvenile, but how could I help it?"

Suzaku nodded. "And Euphy changed that?"

"Again, of course," Lelouch said quieter this time. He didn't look away though, letting Suzaku search him for lies. "It was a bit of a blow learning the boy I thought could possibly turn out to be, dare I say it, my soul mate was indeed in love the entire time with someone else." Lelouch moved to force his way up again. He didn't have to stay for this and Suzaku wasn't going to force him.

He pushed himself against the couch to stand. Suzaku reacted and his hand reached for him. Lelouch's hand went up to swat him away. Reflexive Suzaku grasped at the would-be attack. They both froze at the unwelcome conection. Lelouch tried his best to ignore it facing away to the suddenly immensely interesting wall. Suzaku couldn't ever let anything just drop though. His grip became lax and shifted to hold Lelouch's stick figure arm palm up and underside exposed. A callous thumb ran across the white bandages directly over the new scar Lelouch would have.

"Alright." Suzaku said. He looked away, but didn't lean away and his hand didn't drop. He nodded to himself and looked back to Lelouch a second later. "What do I do to replace that for you?"

"What?" Lelouch said confused a bit.

"What do I have to do to become yours again?" He adjusted his grip on Lelouch's arm to climb his fingers up to Lelouch's own fingers. Reaching their destination Suzaku curled his pinky around Lelouch's linking the two. He remained quiet as he watched for Lelouch reaction.

Lelouch looked to their interlocked little fingers before looking back to Suzaku. He sighed heavy and started to shake his head slowly. He pulled his hand from Suzaku's pushing Suzaku's hand away from him.

"I already told you, Suzaku, we can't fix this."

Suzaku closed his eyes at that. Lelouch wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing as he watched him pull in a long, deep breath. His eyes opened a moment later briefly before he leaned forward to press a kiss to Lelouch's lips again. As chaste and quick as it ever was, he pulled away quickly, leaving Lelouch to wonder if he'd really even felt it at all.

"I'll just have to find a way on my own then." He pulled away all together from Lelouch retrieving the laptop from the ground swiftly. "I have to be going." He announced.

"Suzaku…" Lelouch trailed off.

"It's fine, Lelouch,"

Lelouch looked away at the harsh tone Suzaku had taken. He closed his eyes pondering a moment before he spoke. "It's not what you think it is."

"Than what the hell is it?" Suzaku snarled out immediately.

Lelouch looked up to him, pensive.

"Just tell me what it is, Lelouch!" Suzaku went on. "I did everything you asked and in the end you wanted to screw me over again!"

"That's not—"

"I know," Suzaku hissed. He gave a sigh his shoulders slouched, as he looked to the floor. His free hand came up to run over his forehead and through his cinnamon curls. "You used to always chastise me for not putting what I want over the wants of others." He eyes slowly made their way to Lelouch., But not his face. They started at his bare feet resting against the cold tiles. "I used to not even be sure what I as an individual wanted for myself." His forest emeralds grazed over the hospital scrubs catching at the long pale hands pooled in Lelouch's lap. "I know now what I want, Lelouch."

Lelouch gave his own heavy sigh. "Maybe this stale mate really is the best either of us could ask for."

Suzaku shook his head stepping forward. Lelouch didn't resist as he felt the calloused strong hand against his jaw line. The corresponding fingers tipped his chin up in a gentle caress as Suzaku leaned into place a kiss just off to the side and under the prominent jaw bone. Lelouch let his eyes slip closed as Suzaku pressed his mouth to his neck.

"I won't let it be." Suzaku cooed against Lelouch's jugular.

Lelouch let a smile flicker. "I was afraid you'd say something along those lines."

Suzaku chuckled and pulled away. Lelouch let his eyes open again as he heard the quiet click of the military boots as Suzaku took a step back. His eyes instinctively travelled up to meet the sun-kissed Japanese face.

Suzaku looked to him before he bent and retrieved the book also on the floor. Lelouch wasn't sure when it had ended up there but no matter it was there. Suzaku stepped forward holding it out to him. Lelouch took it slowly with his long spiderlike fingers. His eyes were still on Suzaku. Suzaku smiled down at him.

"I really had no idea what books to get." He said with a chuckle.

Lelouch looked down at the book he returned to his lap. "You did pretty well, for someone who has never read much more than the back of the cereal box."

"Hey!" Suzaku said. "I read all the time!"

Lelouch chuckled looking up at him. "Yeah when it's required or a Knightmare manual,"

"It's good reading, those manuals." Suzaku said with a wide grin.

"You are such a weirdo." Lelouch said with a chuckle.

Suzaku only smiled down at his emperor. He flipped the laptop under his arm and reached a hand out to tangle in Lelouch's inky locks. Violet eyes looked up at him.

"Lelouch," He started. "I have to leave."

Lelouch nodded slowly. What like he couldn't have guessed that?

"I just—" Suzaku said. "I have to talk to you tonight."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "What more could we possibly talk about that we haven't already?"

Suzaku looked a bit shamed as he answered. "I have to leave."

"You have already mentioned that."

"No," He breathed. "I have to go to the Chinese Federation."

"Oh." Lelouch let out. It was sooner than expected.

Suzaku looked at him with a slight frown. "Yeah."

"I'll see you tonight then?" Lelouch concluded.

Suzaku nodded letting his hand fall away from Lelouch. "It won't be till later probably, but I'll be here."

"Alright." Lelouch nodding.

Suzaku turned collecting his affects before continuing to the door. Lelouch turned back down to his book flipping it open to find where he was again.

"Oh yeah! Lelouch?"

Lelouch looked up at Suzaku's beckoning. He stood sideways looking at the boy the door in front of him sliding open as he looked to the couch.

A smile spread on his face again before he spoke. "I'm glad you're over your temper tantrum."

Lelouch's brow dropped as he stared at him. Ignoring me he looked sharply back to his book. The smile only widened as Suzaku waved back over his shoulder.

"Until later tonight my fair lady!"

Lelouch bite back a comment, shoved it back down his throat, and tried to just keep reading. He already knew the best tactic with Suzaku was always to ignore him. Simple as that.

* * *

_And that's all you get! No hard feelings or anything but I was quite swiftly approaching 8.000 words and that's when things start to get really long! So yeah hope you guys liked it! _

_Now as always to the questions. Chapter question last time was __**What did Suzaku and Lelouch name their intimate interactions? A clue is it comes from something Suzaku quotes, what is it he quotes? **__And a lot of you gusy actually got it right! I was so freaking proud! Go you guys! Specifically, _**Strawberry, Noname**, **SaiSuki 1329**. _Great job you guys! And the answer for everyone else is they call it_ "roses" _from _Romeo and Juliet_, which is what Suzaku quotes in chapter 4, __"__That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."_

_My chapter question this week is actually more of an opinion question. __**Whose side are you on in this? Lelouch who just wants to die regardless of him knowing full well it would break Suzaku's heart or Suzaku who wants Lelouch to live even if it makes them both utterly miserable?**__ I can't tell you an answer, because I'm the writer I know what the end result would be and therefore am at an awful advantage. _

_Personal Question: So I just ordered the Lancelot Key Metal Keychain and the Code Geass Full First Season One Box Set from Amazon today, yeah I'm so excited I can't really sit still, how am I ever going to be able to wait 5-8 business days!…But my question is __**when and over what was the last thing you were so excited for you could hardly stand it? **__I just told you mine, the Lancelot Key oh and later this week hopefully Code Geass First Season, because sadly that is not going to be released until the eighth of February. I know I'm a little too obsessed. Anyway hope you guys liked the chapter and I hope to see you in the reviews. _

_~Review they make me wanna do the hula!~_


	8. A Gift I Never Gave You Before

_Special Thanks To:_ **Magician Girl Mirani**(You are so amazingly sweet! Thank You! I wish I could make a fortune! Haha!), **.line, ****WhiteAngel128** (Don't wish to write like me. Just keep writing like you, and always strive for perfection ;) ), **fra3, ****Toki **(Your comments always make me smile or laugh! You be coolio!), **AcidBubblewrap**, **luckless-is-me** (your reviews always make me happy. Thank You!), **Strawberry, NoName! **(You be cool :) The End), **XienRue,****Ancr**, **The Only Love For Soujiro Seta****, ****Anon** (Thank you for the Critique! I'm always in need of a deflation of my ego, haha! Seriously though, thanks and I hope you still enjoyed it:) ) **Ana-chan86**

_Questions: __** Anon**__ Okay, this wasn't a question but oh well I'll go for it. One, thanks for pointing out my inconsistency error of chapter 3. I honestly had forgotten that I ever even wrote that segment, let alone wrote it like that. I totally agree with you. It was an awful mistake to make and revisions are under way and by the time this is posted probably already up. As for the Kallen thing, I'm going to have to defend my opinion yet again. She forgives him thinking he has atoned for his sins through his death. Take his death out of the equation and now she has come to the rushed (I repeat rushed, because she wasn't the only one rushing, Suzaku sprung this all on them very quickly and on a giant leap of faith that they would help him) conclusion that he hasn't atoned for a thing. I have watched episode 25 several times a few very recently and I will admit at the end there is defiantly some lenience in her character. But I don't see that lenience staying if she found out he lived through it all. I will also defend that she hates Lelouch, and even if she doesn't there is a lot of emotion that is pent up about Lelouch there. The guy didn't even kiss her back! There is a lot of heart break there and he made Kallen feel very lost at times and in the dark. If she believes it will happen again than really what is her emotion going to be? But hey that is my opinion on her character and how her character would change due to these circumstances. But you have a right to your opinion. Also, in later chapters there is a little bit more of an in depth analysis of why she is acting the way she is. But thank you for Reviewing and if you find anything else that is of problematic nature please go ahead and inform me. I don't like the idea of mistakes, and I especially don't like them in something of mine. Also, sincerely, thank you for putting a name. I have a severe disapproval of the word Anonymous stamped next to reviews. _

_Special Note from me: Hey guys, just wanted to give another amazing thanks to everyone! I swear I never, expect a thing when I start writing, and you guys all surprise me every time with mountains and mountains of great reviews and you all say such sweet, nice things. Really, from the bottom of my heart-thanks; you guys are all amazing. _

* * *

Amethyst King

Chapter Eight

A Gift I Never Gave You Before

1/1/2011 12:16 AM …what can I say, I couldn't stay away from my laptop! Besides all the huff and puff was already over five minutes after.

* * *

The holding cell was small just like Lelouch had expected. But this one at least was an improvement from the last. He had a bed, a side table, a sink, and a toilet. He wasn't allowed a lamp or even a light switch. Lelouch sighed looking over the bland shades of gray. Say hello to home for the next two weeks was all he could think. The two guards at either side of him stopped before the glass door. One guard let go at his elbow going to the key pad. He inserted his key and pressed in the code before the glass rose. Then Lelouch wasn't in a hurry so he was fine as they waited for it to reach the top. Besides why rush this?

They shuffled him forward then his hands handcuffed this time in front of him. He was glad at least his feet weren't this time, as if walking couldn't already have been harder than it had been for him over the past few days. He also, thankfully, hadn't been forced into another prisoner's uniform. He was instead wearing more scrubs for pants and a white long-sleeved shirt provided by Suzaku, this time thankfully not from his own wardrobe, so it didn't fit him like a tent. The blind fold hadn't even been added to his supreme joy. He also had an escort of Suzaku and Cornelia.

Those two were trailing behind him. Suzaku's face down and lips in a hard line. Cornelia looked around suspiciously and had her face pulled into an unrelenting glare. She had held the unpleasant snarl since Lelouch's room. Lelouch wondered if her face was tired yet after holding such a taxing expression for so long. That and it was so god damn early in the morning! 4:00 AM had flashed down at him when these blundering idiots had come through the door and told him he was moving. It wasn't like some execution order, since Suzaku had warned him that he would be moved. He had been just as somber then as he was now. Lelouch glanced back and changed his mind. He wasn't somber he was moping.

They reached the bed and he turned for the guard to unlock the uncomfortable handcuffs. The bored guard did so lazily. A smile flashed on Lelouch's face as he wondered what lie Cornelia and Suzaku had presented for them to hungrily gobble up. He looked back at the uninterested guard. Did he really know who he was un-cuffed? They hadn't hidden his face. They hadn't even tried. Could this guard really be that stupid? Was he really going to believe that he was just some criminal off the street?

The guard looked up and eye contact was made for a brief second. Lelouch sighed and looked away. There had been no recognition in those eyes.

The cuffs were completely removed. Lelouch pulled his arms away from them refusing to rub at the irritated flesh. He was practically the epitaph of weak in his current disposition, but that didn't mean he had to wallow in it. So he held his head high as the guards were dismissed and he was faced with his dearly disdainful and loathsome sister…oh and Suzaku.

Violet met violet as Lelouch sank to the bed. He smiled as he did so. His threaded bits of grace had started to be pieced back together. Before long his elegant quilt of conduct may actually fully return. That is if he gave it that much time. He crossed his ankles and let his hands fall into his lap.

Cornelia's scowl deepened.

"Be careful, sissy, you hold your face like that long enough and it could get stuck like that."

She pounded her hoofed boots across the cell to him as she charged, head down. Lelouch could have sworn he could see two long sharp horns pointed at him.

"Cornelia!" Suzaku barked. His head was up again and sharp green eyes were on his dear sissy.

Cornelia was about a foot from reaching Lelouch but she halted. Her stance wide she placed those hooves squarely to face him. Her eyes wide and set on him. Lelouch stifled the urge to lean forward and twiddle his fingers in front of her enraged face.

"You're deepening wrinkles." Lelouch informed her instead.

She seethed and pounded another foot against unrelenting metal in another step forward.

Suzaku's voice halted her again. "Lelouch!"

"Angry wrinkles aren't like happy wrinkles either. Their uglier, and really you're not married still so you might want to hold on to what little beauty you have left." Lelouch continued undeterred.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku scolded more severe now.

"How old are you anyway?" Lelouch asked and tried to look deeply concerned.

The problem was that Lelouch's eyes were on Cornelia not on Suzaku. So finding himself hauled up and face to face with his former loyal knight, now the boy was neither, was a bit of a shock.

"Behave yourself." Suzaku growled at him. His nose was very close to touching Lelouch's.

Lelouch rolled his eyes, and tried desperately hard to over exaggerate the gesture. "Really Suzaku it's not like I don't know how much she wants me dead."

Suzaku loosened his hold on Lelouch's shirt lengthening the distance between the two. "I know." Suzaku breathed.

Lelouch didn't give any further answer and Suzaku let him down, as he released his shirt. Lelouch snorted. Ever his lapdog, disobedient at times, Suzaku would always end up trying to please in the end. Lelouch looked away though to Cornelia.

"Let me guess take one step out of line and you'll kill me?" Lelouch drawled, as he looked side long at his older sibling.

Cornelia's eyes flared. "No."

"No?" Lelouch repeated his eyebrows rose. "So you've finally discovered your deep rooted long held and unconditional love for your sweet younger sibling?"

Cornelia pulls a deep breath in puffing up her full chest. Her nostrils flared and her eyes focused on her dear sweet younger sibling.

"Lelouch, I warn you, you give me any provocation and I will personally remove those eyes of your with my bare hands."

"I'm terrified." Lelouch said and disinterestedly as he inspected his nails.

Cornelia gave a growl.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku let out his voice grind deep in his chest.

Cornelia surged forward and Suzaku immediately shoved Lelouch behind him and pulled himself up as well. Lelouch felt a smirk curl on his lying lips. He almost felt like waving from behind his Japanese wall. He didn't, knowing that would be certain death, but he really wanted too.

"Kururugi!" Cornelia snarled.

"Cornelia." Suzaku said in an equally challenging fashion.

"Lelouch!" Lelouch chimed in.

Suzaku glared around his shoulder to Lelouch. Lelouch looked back at him innocently.

"What?" Lelouch asked.

"Shut up." Suzaku said curt to him and turned back to Cornelia.

"Oh come on!" Lelouch said. "Everybody was throwing names around I was just feeling left out!" He gestured with his hands dramatically.

Suzaku turned slowly to look at him. He wasn't exactly rolling on the floor in a fit of laughter.

"Let me guess, shut up?" Lelouch inserted.

"Yeah." Suzaku said and gave a brisk nod.

"Fine!" Lelouch said as he threw a hand into the air and turned away, deciding to face the wall instead.

"Cornelia," Suzaku started immediately his head snapped to the fuming woman.

"I believe I've made myself clear." She said in a very princess-like fashion.

"Yes you have. I now know you want to eat my eyes out like the harpy you are." Lelouch said casually to the wall.

"Le—"

"I know, I know, shut up!" Lelouch said with a huff.

Suzaku shook his head with a sigh. "If you know, then actually do it." he said under his breath before he continued in a politer tone. "Now, I can assure you Lelouch won't try to pull anything,"

Lelouch was sure he could feel sharp green knives dig into his back.

"Will you, Lelouch?"

Lelouch looked over his shoulder at Suzaku—those same knives now pointed at Lelouch's face, which looked nothing if not completely innocent. Suzaku, on the other hand, didn't look in a compromising mood. It was more along the lines of 'say yes or I drown you in the toilet.' Lelouch looked to Cornelia again.

"I'm not taking anything back." He said firm.

Suzaku's brow dropped another eighth of an inch."You won't be pulling anything while I'm gone, will you?"

"Who made you my boss, anyway?" Lelouch raved as he turned to face the soldier. "I can take care of myself just fine, thank you very much! I don't need the harpy breathing down my neck every three second hoping my eyes pop out from fear!"

Suzaku took a step forward to further impose himself on to Lelouch. "You won't be pulling anything while I'm gone, will you"" He leaned down his face placed directly in conflict with Lelouch's. Lelouch found it amazing how the pilot was still phrasing the sentence in question form while his body language was presenting it as a statement completely, and as nothing else.

Lelouch couldn't help but make eye contact with the very close Suzaku. "You're not being very complaisant."

"You won't—"

"Alright!" Lelouch hollered as Suzaku brow creased if possible even lower over his solid amazingly focused eyes. He gave a sigh and plopped himself on to the bed. "But only because I like having my eyes." He said and folded his arms over his chest as he turned away from the two. He and the wall were becoming BFF's anyway.

Suzaku rolled his eyes at the dramatics he knew very well and finally turned to finish up with Cornelia.

"I'd say I'm sorry for him, but he's not sorry, and me being sorry wouldn't do any good." Suzaku said.

"It's fine." Cornelia said stiff. "But like I said I'm not giving him second chances unlike you, Kururugi!"

Suzaku nodded. "He realizes that, and I can assure you he won't try anything." He looked back at the boy. "He doesn't have the means too."

Lelouch said nothing. To ignore it was the best way around this, he figured. Besides if he said anything that would ruin everything or worse simply not help his case at all. Simply put his best option was to as Suzaku had put it: shut up.

"Hnhhh." Cornelia let out the sharp snort.

Lelouch chewed at his cheek. He wanted to blow a raspberry at her, but that was never a good option, especially since she had a gun and as solid of a wall as Suzaku made he still wasn't bullet proof.

Suzaku turned back to the seething bull…ess. "I know you know this but, If I come back and he is hurt at all I will be taking it out on your head."

Lelouch mentally tallied that as a point for Suzaku.

Cornelia raised herself again. "And I believe that I have made myself clear. I do not care for his pathetic life and if he gives me a reason I will take appropriate action."

"I won't tolerate his harm."Suzaku growled hackles raised, and teeth bared.

"And I will not tolerate his delinquency." Cornelia countered.

Lelouch rolled his eyes. Suzaku had just made a fuss over how childish he had been acting and now the soldier was doing the exact same thing! Besides that why was everyone always up and in arms over his life? "Calm down you two." He sighed and leaned forward to rest his chin in his palm. "I promise I won't be of much bother."

"You're not a bother." Suzaku snarled his brunette curls bristled slightly.

Lelouch spared him only a glance. Suzaku looked down at him undaunted.

"I'm a bother." Lelouch said, firm, and turned to his sibling. "I promise you oh harpy dear that I won't put a damper on your busy schedule, or a smudge on your spotless reputation,"

Cornelia gave him a cold look.

"And you," Lelouch said as he turned. "I promise I won't in anyway disappoint the ever popular Zero."

Suzaku shook his head as his palm went over his face. "Alright."

"Good." Lelouch said and gave a short nod. "Cornelia?" He asked.

She pursed her purple hued lips and flared those equally hued eyes at Lelouch. "Fine."

Lelouch gave another short nod.

Cornelia looked to Suzaku as she pulled herself up if possible even more. "Kururugi, I'll see you upon your return." She didn't bother with a goodbye to Lelouch. She simply turned and waltzed her way out. Not that Lelouch expected a goodbye, but he at least expected a spat out half insult.

That didn't stop Lelouch though form giving his own parting gift. "Goodbye, Cornelia! I'll miss you! I hope you miss me too!" He waved vigorously.

She ignored him and walked faster.

"Come see me soon! We should have tea sometime!"

She reached the corner and hurriedly went around it. There was a disgruntled look was on her face.

"I know you die a little on the inside when I'm not around!" Lelouch let out the last one with a smile. Then assured that she was gone he looked to Suzaku.

As expected the boy looked morbid. Face down, eyes overcast, and a frown pulled at the once lovely lips. Lelouch leaned forward trying to catch those forest green eyes so low on the ground. They flickered up at him and he gave a sweet smile. Suzaku didn't react to the smile only looked on at him as the frown seemed to deepen. Lelouch couldn't have that, as he kept his own smile and lifted his hand. He curled his fingers repeatedly to coax the saddened boy forward to him. Suzaku immediately looked back to the floor. Lelouch leaned forward again, amethyst in search of emerald. Suzaku met his gaze reluctant again in this game of cat and mouth. Lelouch coaxed slower this time. Suzaku complied and stepped forward. Lelouch gave him a look and beckoned impatiently again. Suzaku head down stepped in front of Lelouch. Lelouch leaned back on his hands and looked to the spot next to him expectantly. Suzaku complied, yet again, and stiffly seated himself next to Lelouch. Lelouch gave a flash of white teeth before he turned to observe the room.

Lelouch said nothing only looked around himself. He would let Suzaku start the conversation if he so pleased. He gave a confident smile as he felt the shift in the mattress as Suzaku relaxed into it more. A moment later that relaxation was doubled as Suzaku pulled himself up on to the bed to lean against the wall. Lelouch smiled wider. Suzaku intended on staying at least a few more minutes.

"I know you die a little on the inside when I'm not around?" Suzaku said as he quirked an eyebrow over to his companion.

Lelouch looked back at him with the smile still present. "I'm trying to take on the brotherly role."

Emerald eyes made contact and a smile flickered. "You suck at it."

"But I thought I was doing so well." Lelouch said with a fake pout.

"Stick to dictatorship—you can at least pull that off." Suzaku chided.

Lelouch smiled and pulled himself as well to the wall to sit. "I got assassinated." He said like it was a simple lay off

"Oh, bummer deal," Suzaku commented. "You could always try the internet. I'm sure someones looking for a dictator out there!"

Lelouch only smiled and slid closer to Suzaku. The soldier went instantly rigid.

"Cool it, turbo, I'm just being friendly." He said as he found Suzaku's hand. His pale digits traced along Suzaku's broad palm before he pulled the hand closer to intertwine their fingers.

Suzaku looked down at their hands. Somber and morbid again, Lelouch thought.

"I'm going to miss you." Suzaku said quiet.

"Don't worry about it, It's not like this is the end of the world." Lelouch said. "And the harpy will make sure that I don't get in to any trouble I can assure you that."

Suzaku looked over at him. His face was questioning as he waited for Lelouch to catch his eye.

"What is up with you today?" Even without the eye contact he wanted, Suzaku asked.

Lelouch tilted his head to look at Suzaku. "Nothing really, just feeling a little different than normal."

"You sure that's it?" Suzaku asked as his unoccupied hand slid up to brush Lelouch's cheek gently. He slid his fingers over the smooth pale skin before he hooked a piece of long ebony and brushed it in an elegant curve of his fingers behind Lelouch's ear.

Lelouch gave a smile at the sweet contact. It was rare that Suzaku managed to be smooth. He usually had such a calloused touch he had to work to pull off something more graceful. "It could just be your presence." Then again, he'd somehow managed to charm Lelouch with all his miss-given rough around the edges kind of affection.

Suzaku gave a chuckle as he started to lightly play with the long ebony he had at his fingertips.

"I have a feeling it's not that," he said after a long moment.

"That, of course," Lelouch said as he leaned into Suzaku's hand. "Couldn't be because of all the discord we have been engaged in as of late."

Suzaku smiled and accepted Lelouch's head as he leaned over to his shoulder. He leaned over also and pressed his cheek to the inky colored hair. Their fingers still laced he stroked lightly at the back of Lelouch's hand with his tanned thumb. Lelouch sighed into the contact and nuzzled at the strong shoulder.

"We never fought this much in high school." Lelouch sighed.

"We never had that much to fight about in high school." Suzaku grumbled.

"There were plenty of things to argue about then." Lelouch said. "It's was just then not all of them were centered around war, death, and what either of us did or did not do in the not so distant past to betray the other." He slid his free arm up to tuck it into Suzaku's elbow, where his fingers caressed at the soft underside skin.

Suzaku watched the small token of affection before looking back to his best friend. "Are you really sure you are all right? You're really not acting like yourself today."

Lelouch let another smile flicker as he let his eyes hood over. "I'm just feeling very good today."

"On the day you go back into a holding cell and I leave for a good long week and a half?" Suzaku gave a snort. "Now I know how you really feel about me."

"Hmmm." Lelouch hummed and looked simply off to the other side of the room.

It was all too pleasant at that moment to start another fight over nothing really. Lelouch lavished in the quiet moment letting it soak through his skin and puncture into his memory. If there was anything left of his humanity he wanted to remember he knew this would be one of those small moments. Even more than that, he was letting himself go of…all responsibility. For one moment not he was free from care about any of the past and just able to relish and fully process the now. It was the now, where Suzaku was in love with him. The now with Suzaku so close to him. The now, where his Knight of Zero was interested in no other human being but him, and if all that wasn't completely true he would simply choose to ignore it. This was his moment to record and remember. He gave a brief smile. Just like Anya with her little diary.

Lelouch's eyes peeked open to glance upwards. His knight still had his cheek pressed to his head and his eyes closed. Lelouch gave a smile his fingers tracing Suzaku's name out over his arm. Lelouch glanced back to the glass before him.

"Lelouch?" Suzaku asked quiet.

"Yes?" Lelouch answered politely.

"I—" he started dying off fast before he made to try again. "I'm sorry."

Lelouch pulled his head from his shoulder to look at him. "For what?"

A slight frown pulled at the edge of Suzaku's mouth and creased worried brow didn't help. "For not telling you—about Euphy."

Lelouch froze.

This was not what he had expected to come out of Suzaku's mouth. That wasn't what he wanted in any way to come out of Suzaku's mouth. He looked into forest green pools thinking fast. He didn't want this to be a fight. He knew that this could very easily turn into a fight, but again, he did not want this to be a fight. He wanted nothing more than to just sit next to Suzaku and pretend he loved him with all his heart and to love the damned boy back, before—well before he left.

"Oh," Lelouch said. He let his eyes drift down to the covers they sat on. To look into Suzaku's eyes right now wasn't something he was prepared to handle.

"I had feelings for her, I admit it!" Suzaku pleaded. "But nothing like what I had—still have for you!"

Lelouch just looked to the covers. He felt the pain in his chest but ignored it as he started to slide away from Suzaku.

"No don't!" Suzaku said and scrambled after him getting to all fours and squeezing at the hand they had still locked to his own.

Lelouch didn't stop though going to the head of the bed. He sat against the wall there, and pulled his legs up to his chest. Suzaku followed to him not letting Lelouch pull his hand from the barest embrace. He sat there before him as Lelouch unmoving looked to the covers. Lelouch knew he didn't want this conversation. He didn't want to even mention Euphy's name let alone hear it come out of Suzaku's mouth. He didn't want to argue though either and he knew if he said the things he felt there would be an argument over the issue. So he simply stayed quiet. Suzaku was before him trying desperately to reach out to the huddled figure, unsure if physical touch would hurt more than comfort and also knowing that saying anything was in danger of saying the wrong anything.

The silence dragged. Lelouch evaded Suzaku's gaze and Suzaku shuffled closer sitting on his knees. He parted them as he reached Lelouch to slide closer. He looked worriedly at him. He slid a tentive hand to Lelouch's arm rubbing comfortingly.

"Lelouch, please, say something." Suzaku whimpered.

Lelouch spared the knight a glance. He wanted to ask why he was bringing this up now. But he just wanted to talk—not yell and scream at each other. Suzaku tilled his head to the side and slightly closer.

Lelouch fleeted his eyes back to the glass. Behind that was freedom and before him was he only memento he wanted to take with him to his next life. The only problem was that same momento was the one man standing in the way of his freedom. "I don't want to talk about this." He whispered into his knees.

Suzaku gave a deep frown. "I want you to know it though!"

Lelouch didn't move only continued looking to the glass or the floor or the covers or pretty much anything but Suzaku.

"Please!" Suzaku pleaded. "Ask me anything! Yell at me! Hit me! Just let me know we're over this."

Lelouch closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cold wall. "Suzaku, I said I don't want to talk about this."

"Then when will we talk about it?" Suzaku said pulling his arms and their interlocked hands to cross over Lelouch's knees. "I'm leaving for two weeks. We won't get to talk at all for that whole two weeks!"

"Which is why I don't want to talk about this," Lelouch said and leaned forward to make eye contact finally. "If this is the last of our conversations I don't want it to be about this."

"Alright," Suzaku said reluctant before he continued. "but promise me we will talk about it when I get back."

Lelouch rolled his eyes, "Suzaku I'm not—"

"Promise me!" Suzaku hissed.

Lelouch froze. They were at the brink of a fight now. They were so close to falling into the screamed insults and the snarled comebacks. Lelouch couldn't have that. He wouldn't settle for that. These moments had to be perfect if he had anything to do about it. They had to be full for record and remembrance. That meant that to avoid what he didn't want and end up with what he did than he would have to do something he didn't want to.

Lelouch sighed, deep. "Okay," He'd never been fond of lying to Suzaku despite the fact he'd done it so many times before.

"Okay, what?" Suzaku pressed.

Lelouch stifled the urge to roll his eyes. "Okay, I promise we will talk about this when you get back."

Suzaku gave a nod. "Alright then." He crawled over Lelouch and slid himself into the corner between the wall and Lelouch. Once there he pulled Lelouch to him before letting their locked hands down to the covers. Lelouch only raised an eyebrow at the actions and leaned his head on to the boy's mantle like shoulder again.

They stayed quiet again. It was a different quiet now than the fragile and sharp silence of before. This was filled with the presence of one another and the joy that all that entailed. It was that the simple fact they demanded nothing of each other and that right now they could pretend the world demanded nothing of them. Pretending they had all the time in the world to soak in to each other's skin and learn ever pore to every scar. A moment in which Lelouch knew he would have no other reaction to than to smile at when remembrance came to it. The moment was exactly as he wanted it to be.

Lelouch gave a contented sigh. "Suzaku?"

"Hmmm?" the former Knight hummed.

"I want you to know I love you."

Suzaku blinked and sat up. Lelouch let him and slid his head up from his shoulder to lean against the wall. His own eyes open to look at his best friend. Leafy green pools search his face carefully as Suzaku looks back over at him.

"Why are you saying this?" Suzaku asks with a rather sharp tone.

Lelouch gave him a lazy smile as he answered. "It's true."

"I know it's true." Suzaku countered fast. "That doesn't mean that you've ever been the one to just say it, especially now." His brow creased as he went on.

"I can't speak the truth?" Lelouch said, quickly switching the subjects.

Suzaku thought on it a moment before he answered. "I don't know. I know you love me, but I knew that without needing to be said."

Lelouch gave a bright smile. "And that Suzaku is all you need to know from me."

"No, it's not." Suzaku said shaking his head. "I need to know everything."

"Everything?" Lelouch said amused.

"Yes, starting with who are you, what the hell have you done with Lelouch and you do know I will throttle you when I find the real one, right?"

"I thought we were over the death threats." Lelouch said with a sigh.

"We have a fucked up relationship." Suzaku explained. "Now where is he or say hello to swirly city."

Lelouch gave a lazy smile. "I'm right here."

"I don't believe you." Suzaku said.

"Expected, since you have already stated you think I can't tell the truth."

"I said I know you love me." Suzaku said firmly.

"And that is all you need to know." Lelouch offered with a sincere smile.

"You're not giving me any real answers here." Suzaku whined with a huff.

Lelouch leaned over his knees looking back with a smirk. "Do I ever?"

Suzaku gave a snort. "You lying rat bastard."

"I am a perfectly legitimate child." Lelouch said with all his princely airs.

"Right, which is why you look more Japanese than I do."

"Wouldn't that just make you the bastard?"

"My father and mother had me under wed lock and everything! Which If I might add is better than just some consort!"

Lelouch gave a shrug. "I like to think of her as an Empress."

"Yeah more like: Surprise! Charles we're having a kid!" Suzaku said raising his hand in fake celebration. "Whoot for banging the hired help!"

Lelouch gave a chuckle before he leaned back to press into Suzaku's shoulder, his lips at his ear. "It worked pretty well for me."

"We never had sex at the palace." Suzaku countered stone faced.

Lelouch raised a amused smile to his lips. "You sound so fraught over the matter."

"I had a really nice bed there." Suzaku said mournfully. "So soft, hmmmm, and warm, and painstakingly quiet, nothing like that piece of shit in your room or the even worse shit in my dorm room."

Lelouch gave a chuckle. "You hated me, then. Sex was out of the question"

Suzaku shook his head. "No," He pulled their interlocked hands up and into his lap. His other hand appeared to start slowly stroking over soft pale skin. "I've never hated you."

"You never showed me much more feeling other than contempt." Lelouch said.

"I was—very angry with you." Suzaku confided.

"Yes, you indeed made that very clear." Lelouch said.

"I was frustrated too." Suzaku said as his finger ran over Lelouch's wrists, tracing circles. "I wanted—" Leafy green eyes snapped up to meet amethyst. "Well I wanted you. I just—I wanted not to want you anymore. I thought, especially after the F.L.E.I.J.A. war head that there was no plausible reason for me to have even a shred of feeling for you. It just took me a while to realize that I—" he looked away the words seeming to come not quite easily to his lips. Lelouch sat up as he watched. "I can't stop." Suzaku struggled out.

Lelouch knew Suzaku was never the greatest with words. His essays were always atrocious and the assigned poetry for school had been gaggable. Lelouch could only smile then as he had watched Suzaku struggle for hours but still work so hard over a book report Lelouch had finished in a third of the time. No, Suzaku was never very good at words. He just excelled at action. So Lelouch said nothing only watched him. He knew that whatever Suzaku wanted to say he'd get to it. It was just something he couldn't find actions to express so he had to go off of secondary means.

"I can't stop being in love you." Suzaku finally concluded. "No matter the effort I put into it. It's too involuntary now."

"Like breathing," Lelouch concluded with a smile and a nod to signify that he understood.

Suzaku gave a nod back. "Yeah, just like breathing."

Lelouch couldn't help the smile that grew only wider. If one doesn't breathe one cannot _live_.

"Suzaku?" Lelouch said and let the sweet Japanese name roll off his tongue slow. All for memory sake. He wanted to remember every syllable and every letter just perfect. He would need to after all of it was over. Just like the moment the name was just as important to him. The name meant the person and there was no other person he wanted to be with than the one that sat beside him.

"Yeah?" Suzaku answered eyebrows raised.

"Come closer, please." Lelouch requested.

Suzaku eyed him as his brow dropped instantaneously and his gaze became honed and focused into a deep forest green. "Why?"

Lelouch chuckled. "I want to give you something."

"What is it?" The suspicion still there as Suzaku gave him a look.

"You're ruining the surprise factor and more importantly the mood." Lelouch said amused but continued. "It's a gift I never gave you before."

Suzaku eyed him a moment more, clearly he was unsure of the former emperor next to him. Lelouch gave a hopefully reassuring smile and tugged at Suzaku's hand playing with their fingers there. Suzaku gave a deep sigh and slid the couple inches or so closer. Lelouch accepted instantly and quickly kneeled before his knight. Suzaku unsure of what Lelouch was doing moved his knees up instantly. Lelouch quickly filled the space between then and crawled up to Suzaku. The man stilled watching Lelouch's precise movements.

Lelouch knew Suzaku was letting him move between his legs and closer not out of trust. No, trust had always been so fragile between them anyway. It had been beautiful the glass little piece of trust they had dangled before them—perfect and amazing. It had been there at first as a critical part to their tentive little experiment between them. They had held it, with as much care as one would hold a precious feather, between them for their first true kiss on the roof. They'd coddled it as they had held each other the first few shaky nights on Lelouch's couch well after Nunnally had been tucked in. The little piece of glass trust had shimmered an array of color in the morning light the first morning they had woken to the same sunrise in the same room. It had been some piece of work between them, but it had shattered—as two bullets had simultaneously struck through it and sent the pieces flying. Then the only color that was hidden deep in crystal distortion was red. Like the shimmer of Lelouch's Geass, or the same Geass that ringed Suzaku's eyes, or more likely the blood that drenched the two…and most noticeably their now two tightly interlocked hands.

So Lelouch took it slow as he felt Suzaku tense as his hand came up to his cheek. He knelt then and tugged up their held hands to show he came in peace. Suzaku didn't let his guard down though, only gave a suspicious look. He raised a hand gently to Lelouch's shoulder but in such away he could either hold him closer or force him away with one good jab. Lelouch felt the slight shiver he always felt when Suzaku let him in at least a little bit past his defenses. He was no match for the boy. Yeah, he could outsmart Suzaku, if Lelouch's own person wasn't within reach of far more reflexive and strong hands. Suzaku was built as a canon of warrior perfection, Lelouch was sure. The great architect who designed the boy must have had only the greatest of inspiration. Lelouch smiled at the thought. The strong powerful legs of possibly pillars? They were elegant and certainly just as sturdy. Lelouch let his hand fall from the soft cheek to a shoulder. Strong, mantle like shoulders, they were powerfully broad and well toned. A lion possibly? Lelouch subconsciously gave a nod, most definitely a lion, those shoulders were after all strong enough to hold up a king. Lelouch's eyes ran over the shapely solid arm as he followed to the hands at his shoulder. Arms of David himself? Possibly, they were strong enough to bring down a giant and gentle enough to be that of a shepherd's. Lelouch's eyes went back up to catch leafy green emeralds. Lelouch could only imagine a face like that belonged to only an arch angel.

Lelouch reached his destination settling quietly to watch Suzaku. They were very close. The Japanese boy didn't look as worried now only anxious. But Lelouch knew he had to find one last thing out before he was to give his gift. He had to know after what was this amazing thing was this body designed. Where was the source that gave inspiration for such a divine creature as this? Lelouch's hand wandered up to Suzaku's neck to rub affectionately until his finger tips brushed wavy brown curls. They were soft. Lelouch smiled a little. He'd found it. His fingers ran up to tangle in the soft thick locks then brush up and over an ear. He caressed lightly at the shell before again he went to immerse his hand in the fur soft locks.

"You remind me of a wolf." Lelouch whispered quietly as his face moved ever closer to Suzaku's. "Or possibly a dog, something along the lines anyway."

"A wolf?" Suzaku repeated looking a bit unsure.

"Yes, you're the quintessence of those beautiful creatures."

Suzaku still didn't look to be getting it. "why?" He breathed.

Lelouch smiled. "You just do, so please don't force me to make this sound anymore sappy than it already is." Lelouch paused. "Funny how you're name is actually that of a bird, but I don't see that in you at all anymore."

Suzaku nodded slowly. "Is that my gift?" he asked still a little dumbfounded.

Lelouch gave a chuckle. "No, that isn't your gift."

"Then can I have my gift?" Suzaku asked eagerly.

Lelouch knew he wasn't annoyed, only restless and eager. He remembered Christmas with Suzaku had been a nightmare. Five minutes past midnight and he wanted to go open presents. The memory made Lelouch smile. No, Suzaku was just anxious. Surprises had always ate away at the boy. He couldn't stand the thought of not knowing what something that was meant for him was.

"Patience, you'll like it, don't worry." Lelouch said as he pulled Suzaku's face closer with his hand still lost in wavy curls.

"I can't be!" Suzaku whined. "I want my present." He leaned forward almost touching Lelouch's nose with his own.

Lelouch gave a smirk. "Don't be greedy either. I may just end up deciding to re-gift to someone else."

Suzaku was going nuts with anticipation and Lelouch loved it. A strong arm wrapped behind Lelouch's shoulders pulling his body closer. Lelouch was carful holding his neck back as to not shorten the already miniscule distance between their faces.

"You wouldn't do that to me." Suzaku said. "Besides wolves only have one mate for life, don't they?"

Lelouch gave a wry smile at that. "Yes, Suzaku they do, unless their preferred mate is killed, of course."

Suzaku stopped instantly. His calm eyes flashed over Lelouch before. It was a short moment of realization before those same eyes flickered wider and far more alert. "No. Lelouch don't even go through that. You are mine and you have always been mine."

Lelouch only gave an unreadable smile. "Shhhhhh." He coed to Suzaku.

"Lelouch—" Suzaku started.

"Your gift." Lelouch interrupted.

Lelouch could see the flare instantly in Suzaku's eyes as he had mentioned that wolves will take different mates. He had also been pleased to see the sparks fade as he ran his fingers through soft, thick hair.

"I'm truly sorry I didn't give this to you before." He whispered on. With each word he watched as Suzaku was wrapped up farther in him, the former comments forgotten, as Lelouch pulled him deeper in to his nest of built and reinforced security, meant for this purpose exactly. In fact, if Lelouch was lucky Suzaku wouldn't really even pay much attention to what he had said. He let his warm breath brush over Suzaku's face and adjusted his hips forward ever so slightly.

Suzaku moved his lips but no words came out and Lelouch smiled. Lelouch had already mentioned that Suzaku was never very good with words and since he had already apparently ran out of words it wouldn't be long before the boys prominent skills of action would win out. So Lelouch decided now was probably the time if he actually wanted to give his gift and not have it forced out of him. The thought was only reinforced as the arm around Lelouch's shoulders tightened.

He leaned in slow, his hand still at the back of Suzaku's head, as his lips pressed ever so slowly to Suzaku's own slightly parted ones. He pressed the first kiss gently, barely drawing out a reaction or even a small amount of pleasure, to painstakingly drag the felling through both their minds. Besides it was all about the memories. He had to make it absolutely perfect so it would never be forgotten. He pulled in a long breath of Suzaku's scent their lips millimeters apart. He had always loved Suzaku's smell. Like cinnamon, but heavier, not musky and not sharp like spice. It always struck him, but somehow has a sweetness to it. He had loved it. He tilted his head ever so slightly as he pressed another kiss on to soft awaiting lips. He felt Suzaku's arm around his shoulders pull around more secure, but fidgety this time. Lelouch pressed another kiss in hopes of calming the raw wanting he felt radiated through the boy. Their interlocked hands were beside them held up to their chests, which were mere milimeters away from making contact.

Lelouch parted his lips finally as he dipped his head just enough to make contact again. Suzaku impatient as always whimpered softly as the former emperor pulled away a few millimeters again. Lelouch couldn't help what came next—it was only all too tempting.

"Are there cameras in here?" he murmured against the eager lips.

"No." Suzuki mumbled back his hand desperately thrust up to Lelouch own hair.

Lelouch's smile broadened as a chuckle bubbled up from his chest. "You liar."

"Shhh, I want some more of my gift." Suzaku said forcefully.

Lelouch rubbed his nose against Suzaku's. What an awful tease, Lelouch thought to himself. Suzaku wasn't very appreciative as he frowned and squirmed to hold himself back. Lelouch knew he'd was pushed it almost as far as he could. He was mere seconds from being seized by Suzaku and he wouldn't mean to but he'd force Lelouch down not even noticing the unwillingness as he ravished his best friend. Lelouch didn't want that so conceded and gave in to press their lips together.

Tongues quickly became involved as they pushed at each other and Suzaku flustered started to pull at the back of Lelouch's shirt to get him if possible even closer. Lelouch let him as he himself pulled his fingers soothingly through soft hair repeatedly to keep him in some sort of compromising state or at least in hopes of it. He knew he fought a losing battle as Suzaku's hand fisted in his shirt and hauled him into the kiss.. Hot mouths molded, eyes flickered closed, hands moved to bind closer, and lips tried to seal two souls into one. Lelouch tried to take it all in—every last shred of it. He had to record it all. The roughness as a demanding hand, at the back of his neck, held him up on his knees so Suzaku could kiss upwards and thrust his tongue in repeatedly. The sensation as air had started to become in short supply and breathing more of a challenge. The emotion as pants became more raged and the kiss started to evolve teeth and bone.

The former emperor groaned, and reluctantly pulling away. Suzaku followed on instinct, whimpering loud and trying to pull Lelouch back for another kiss.

"Lelouch," Suzaku whined long and low.

Lelouch flashed a row of white teeth before he placed a finger at Suzaku's lips as he spoke. "Shhh, settle down. I said it was a gift, so I get to decide when it's enough."

"It's been so long." Suzaku whispered and leaned up to try to steal another lip lock.

Lelouch shook his head away. "No, Suzaku." He reaffirmed gently but let his voice dip in to the deep baritone to end the matter. He pushed Suzaku away at his chest and untangled himself in the process only to leave their hands touching as he crawled away again.

Suzaku looked mournful at the newly placed distance between them but conceded with a sigh and sat back against the wall. Lelouch looked to their stretched arms between them and smiled.

"You know we've kissed before. We've kissed a lot before." Suzaku said as his head went back to lean against the wall.

"Wonderful observation, but your point?" Lelouch asked.

"You said it was a gift you never gave me before…but we've kissed before." Suzaku's face was in a dangerous place now. Not in proximity but expression. He was trying to think and think hard.

Lelouch couldn't have that now. "I've never kissed you like that."

"You've been on top of me like that before." Suzaku said assured. He may not be the quickest thinker, but unfortunately for Lelouch he had an excellent memory—Lelouch blamed the military. In fact, Lelouch blamed the military for a lot of things.

"Just take it as a gift." Lelouch whispered as his eyes ran over their continually locked fingers. "Please…" The last was just under his breath and uttered like a spell to hopefull cure the situation of all doubt.

Suzaku gave a nod, Lelouch unsure if he'd heard his last whimpered word or not, and seemed to settle against the wall.

"Suzaku?" Lelouch asked soft.

The soldier only grunted in acknowledgement and looked still to the ceiling.

"Will you promise me something?" Lelouch asked carefully.

His attention caught Suzaku looked down equally as carefully to Lelouch. He observed him for a moment before he spoke, "Yes." He then spoke softer almost under his breath, like Lelouch had just don't, but the difference being he was still intentionally and definitely audible. "Your Highness."

The comment startled Lelouch but didn't deter him. He didn't have time to be distracted or sent on some tangent now. "Will you promise me you won't forget this?"

Suzaku cocked his head.

Lelouch felt his heart as it sank. That was not what he had expected for an answer.

"Lelouch, how could I?" Suzaku abruptly said then. "I don't ever want to forget that, promise to you or not."

Lelouch gave a sincere smile. That was exactly what he'd wanted.

* * *

It was a few hours after Suzaku left that Lelouch filled a cup with about a fourth of the way full with water and set it on the side table next to the bed. He sat on the bed and from there he carefully placed his hand over his right eye and pulled the contact from its place. He sighed as his tired eye immediately felt the rush of air and the relief of having the thin, but irritating, lense removed. He placed the contact in the water gently before he did the same to his left eye and placed it as well in the cup. He had debated on whether to use one glass or two but upon only finding one he had his decision made for him. He blinked several times, knowing there was no real difference in the quality of his eye sight but to simply clear up the new feeling throughout his eyes. It felt good not to have them there. He shook his head slightly before snaking a glance from the edge of the bed where he was seated to the mirror that hung over the modest metal sink.

Twin birds glimmered in a pool of sparkling red.

Lelouch gave a sigh. He figured it was only fitting that through those deep blood stained birds was the last he would ever witness of his life.

* * *

_And I will leave you at here. Not going to lie I meant for this chapter to be around four thousand words, then that went to seven thousand, nine hundred, and forty something. So if you like length great here ya go! If you don't like length…sorry? And why the hell are you reading my shit then? I never stick to word limits! Anyway the Suzaku wolf thing is important especially since I've been giving little referrals to that fact since chapter two. It is also important because once I get my Prequel up and published you'll see that in that his metaphor is a bird, which is what his names means, more specifically red bird of the south or something along those lines—don't quote me on that either… I'm not a damn translator. But anyway there's a change. So it's just kind of a look a bit deeper in to Suzaku, not much deeper but more than face value. _

_Now back to this! Okay two questions as always:_

_Personal: __**If you could spend your last hour with any person who would it be?**_

_My answer is… a stranger. Well not any stranger, but someone who needed me for an hour. Someone I could make laugh or make happy for just an hour and hopeful have enough impact to brighten their life just a little more. _

_Chapter/story: __**What do you guys think Lelouch is planning? **I can't tell you cause that would ruin it all so if you want to tell me what you think!_

_Now as always thank you for reading, I love all the support and adore ever review I receive. _

_~Review they make me feel like it's Christmas Morning!~_

* * *

_One Last Note: Pray for Japan, or if you don't believe in religion at least hope for them. Sendai was hit with a massive earthquake very early Friday morning—or Thursday night depending on where you're at—and it looks like the effects were pretty bad. I'm not sure on death count or anything, but I know there was a lot of destruction—from the earthquake itself and the subsequent tsunami. _


	9. Still In Power

_**Special Thanks:**_**Aoi Faith****, ****teno-hikari****, ****Atheist1****, ****luckless-is-me****, ****Toki, ****Chibi Tsuki Hikari****, ****XienRue, chacha, rebirth-flame****, ****The Ice Mistress****, ****applepie1989, ****Ancr****, ****Questioning, ****CrystalStarlight95****, ****elspethie****, Noname!, ****Khandalis****, ****Xivy**

_**Questions:**__ This is not an answer to a question! But everyone thinks he's going to Geass himself to die. He can't… he's already done that. That's a spoiler, I know, but I just want to kill that avenue right here and now. He is not going to Geass himself! Cause he can't…Like I said he's already done that. And even if he could a second time, I still wouldn't do it—because its already been done. So just so you know, he's not going to Geass himself. No Geass on Him!_

* * *

Amethyst King

Chapter Nine

Still In Power

1/11/2011 6:14 PM

* * *

Phase 1: Target

The room was dark all around Lelouch, except for the monitors. His eyes hooded he knew he was so close to sleep. It had felt like months had been packed into the last two days of his life, especially when he was only supposed to have one day left. He tried stretching but the restraints over his shoulders only seemed to constrict and pull him deeper into the mattress. Giving up, he let out a tired sigh and let his head lull to the side.

Suzaku was having very little trouble sleeping it appeared. He had his body leaned over on to the bed, his head resting on his crossed arms, and a rhythmic deep pattern to his breathing. Lelouch gave a sigh of frustration. His knight just couldn't leave his side it seemed. Ever since Lelouch had coronated himself, more or less, he had known that his steps had been constantly trailed by Suzaku. At first, out of malice and then out of some emotion Lelouch had never wanted to fathom. It had also only increased as the Requiem had drawn closer. By the end, he had been haunted with those eyes on every movement he made and tracked with every foots step he took instantaneously mimicked. Only now did the thought to even question Suzaku's actions come to mind.

He supposed he should have known all along that the knight had something planned up his sleeve. Lelouch had requested the night before his planned death to see Suzaku—the soldier had declined him. That should have been Lelouch's red flag moment. More than a red flag, it had been so contradictory to every action Suzaku had previously taken. Lelouch gave a wry smile. It, of course, hadn't even occurred to him that the boy would plan something as stupid as this. All the wrong emotions had thickened at the palace equaling in Lelouch's conflicted and eschewed vision of Suzaku. The same said vision that had been shattered only hours ago. He shook his head lightly. The boy despised lies so much and yet he was so very good at uttering them.

Lelouch looked back up to the ceiling. He let his eyes flutter closed. He needed sleep even if it wouldn't come. Tomorrow he would need to start on his plans if he wanted even a fair shot of seeing this through to the end. Suzaku had made his intention to keep Lelouch alive very clear. Lelouch couldn't have that. Not with his plans elsewhere already set in motion. There was a whole list of tasks at hand and he'd need to get through them as quickly as possible. For that he needed as much energy as he could get. The wound would only be a hamper on his agenda as well. That was all really just the start, and all those little things would surely make it hard but none of it would compare to Suzaku. If he'd been a pain as his Knight, he'd be even worse now.

The knight had a way of always messing with Lelouch. Even from the beginning when he'd merely known him as that blasted white Knightmare! He'd almost taken as a rule that if Lelouch wanted something Suzaku was going to be there standing in his way to getting it. Or even when it had been that Lelouch just wanted him, as a person, friend,, he had been stubborn about it., that hadn't even been half the struggle as it had been to get them to their first kiss.. Well, actually the first kiss had just kind of happened—when they were ten—it was getting it to just kind of happen again that had been the challenge. Ironic, that Lelouch had to work now to simply keep him away. Lelouch had always thought of himself as possessive but compared to Suzaku he held a tame curiosity.

He was going to have to find a way around the boy. It would be preferable, especially after the most recent string of events, if he were simple not present at all. He'd have to arrange something though and that—would be so much harder now that he'd been stripped of power.

Swoosh! Crack!

Lelouch's head snapped to the door. It was after all the only body part he could move comfortably. In the doorway a nurse stood. Lelouch cocked his head quickly. His only thoughts upon seeing her pale blue eyes were along the lines of, "they wouldn't be that stupid, would they?" The nurse stood there looking rather worried over the metal try she had in a clutter at her feet.

"Oh my, I didn't mean to!" She exclaimed before catching the sight of Suzaku still lost in sleep. Immediately her small hands clamped over her mouth.

Lelouch glanced down at his knight before back up at her.

She looked at him instantly with worried pale blue eyes. "I'm so sorry! I didn't wake you, did I?" her voice was hushed as she half mouthed the words. Her hands curled down to clasp before her in a nervous gesture.

"It's fine." Lelouch answered calmly. He looked to Suzaku. "I was already awake, actually." He kept his voice hushed but not so much that it would appear as if he wanted the nurse gone.

"Oh my," she murmured to herself as she knelt to the floor and collected the metal tray along with its contents. "I'm so sorry, sir. They said that you would probably be asleep and that the Major would be in here,"

Major? Lelouch stifled the urge to raise an eyebrow. So an alias, or was Suzaku demoted? He was betting on the first. He was after all showing his face. The public had forgotten that tanned Japanese face all too easy. Then again, this nursed looked straight at him without a hint of recognition. Lelouch let a small smile slip. Like the missing on the back of milk cartons, their faces also seemed all too easily forgotten and looked over with mild to no recognition. It was easy to skim over a face when the world was convinced they were gone forever.

"It's alright really." Lelouch replied in a soft voice. He added a gentle note to smooth it out. He was sure he sounded a bit hoarse from everything that had taken place, but enough he could hide it, at least long enough to get what he wanted.

The nurse, a bundle of things in her hands, came to the small side table where she laid it all out. She gave an exasperated sigh as she looked through the things quickly.

"I really am sorry, sir." She whined on.

Lelouch formed a sweet smile on his face and looked up at her with deep wide amethyst pools. "It's really quite alright. The Major is very tired, I doubt even an atomic bomb could wake him, and I was having difficulty sleeping anyway."

"Alright," the nurse said as she looked helplessly down at her fidgety hands. "It's my first time up here. I've never been in the ICU units before."

"It's understandable," Lelouch said tilting his head in a concerned manner.

The nurse looked up at him through her blond lank hair. "I need to get back soon, sir, so if you wouldn't mind.." she trailed off as she reached for the thermometer first.

"Not at all," Lelouch said as a smile stretched over his thin lips. "Although, if you wouldn't mind at all there's something in my eye that hurts a little," the smile twisted ever so slightly as he continued. "If you could just take the contact out for me to see it anything is on it, I'd really appreciate it"

"Huh? Oh, sure…" The nurse said rather blankly as she stepped forward.

The smile stretched into that ever so prominent deviant grin as the red light splashed into the room. It lit every corner and curled through the air as he spoke softly to his new slave. His grin ever present his hand slowly edged down to lightly caress chocolate brown curls. The long pale fingers slid through the curls and stroked them ever so lightly.

"Your Highness," the pale blue of the nurses eyes were almost entirely lost in the brimming red ring that encompassed them.

Lelouch turned down to the softly sleeping knight. "Your name?" he asked. His voice was deep with authority.

"Alana." She answered shortly.

He only smiled on, his finger still moved slowly through chocolate curls, twirling them around, and around. Suzaku gave a contented sigh in his sleep and Lelouch pulled a curl behind his ear stroking down the shell of his ear in the same motion. It looked like things were weighing in his favor after all.

* * *

Phase 2: Engage

Lelouch let the twisted, knowing smile slink on to his feature as the red light flashed from outside the cell. The accompanying shrill of the siren bothered him little as he stood slowly from the bed. The sinister smile deepened as he drew up his full height. His hands fisted at his sides, his shoulders squared as his chin tipped up just slightly. The twin birds that blazed, one in each eye, surveyed his situation quickly before he saw her. And the smile grew ever still.

He strode, rather like the emperor he knew he still very much was, to the glass as he saw her rushing forward towards the cell. The blare of the sirens still sounded in his ears in time with the beating red light, but he barely noticed as the small nurse reached the code pad next to the glass. Her Geass burned deep in her eyes as she miraculously produced the code to lift the glass. He paid the lifting glass little head and turned to her.

The nurse he had put under his spell so long ago had proven herself several times over in such a short amount of time. His first impression of her was that he would have to use her to somehow further his slave army and find someone of real use. He was overwhelmingly pleased with the performance she'd given him. If he were still in power of any form he would have rewarded her somehow, but since he wasn't and never planned to be again, he would simply have to give her the gift of memory loss of the whole experience. As much as he knew he normally wouldn't have cared, but for some reason, for some strange and odd reason, he still felt a twinge of fear that in the end she might be connected to him. He felt odd knowing he didn't want that in the end for her. He could still remember the quiet soft spoken little nurse, and maybe Suzaku was rubbing off on him, but he had no desire to put her through the scrutiny that would be consequence of the plan he was about to set in motion. She was too sweet of a human being for that. He had looked at her many a time thinking that just maybe, if the world had been different, that her and his adored little sister would have probably been quite comfortable friends.

She knelt at his feet as he approached, head bowed just slightly.

"Your Highness," She addressed him. "Your orders for me?" she said, the Geass in her eyes eager to devour and pursue any of Lelouch's slightest whims.

"We need to get upstairs." He said. He had done the best he could to purge all emotion form his tone. He now just needed out. If he was ever going to find death, he'd have to be out of the building at very least before he made any attempt.

"Yes, your Highness." She said as she stood.

He nodded and turned just before he froze in place.

Miss calculation was a bitch. It always happened to him at the worst of times.

"I knew you would be behind this!" Cornelia sneered out at him. Her sword at the ready, four guards flanked her as she charged down the hall to him. The sirens blared and the red light caste a more sinister glow over them all.

* * *

Phase 3: Escape

Cornelia was not supposed to even be in the building! As far as Lelouch had gathered he had acted late enough in the night that no one should be there but possibly a few security guards. He made sure that he had thought everything through and that he had thought everything action through (which he had). He was supposed to run into as little resistance as possible. Suzaku was gone for a whole two weeks meaning that was a whole two weeks to act and at the same time that meant they shouldn't be expecting him to act now! Suzaku had just left for heaven's sake, which was a huge key in his plan. If he'd just left he wouldn't be able to turn around and come back immediately, especially if he didn't get word of what was going on for a few hours. That was talking in hours also. Lelouch knew he only needed seconds to die so really it wasn't that much of an issue or at the very least it shouldn't have been, and at most, if he played it right, an hour to get out of the building and half way out of Tokyo.

That was until he saw Cornelia charging towards him her sword ready. That last thing he needed was that harpy to get her claws around his neck.

His Geass flared and extra tint of red as he billowed to Alana. "I have to escape!"

"As you wish!" she shouted as she charged forward, a gun clutched in her inexperienced hands. He would have wondered where she got it, but his orders had been to be prepared, and she most assuredly had been very prepared.

Lelouch would have given a smile at the girl's resourcefulness and efficiently if he hadn't already turned to his next task. He caught the eyes of a guard and orders quickly, "Be my slave, and protect me!"

"Your Highness!" the man said, zeal drenched through his voice as he turned firing the gun and taking out the guard next to him without even an order.

"Lelouch!" He heard Cornelia now. His head snapped to her just in time to see Alana pounce.

The two people became a rolling mass of clawing limbs as the sword was knocked from Cornelia's hand. Lelouch could clearly see that Alana was no trained soldier but she was more than capable at keeping Cornelia at the very least busy. He sprinted forward just as a guard made a charge at him.

Lelouch smiled as brief eye contact was made. "You will be my slave!": He ordered again. Instantly the man stopped.

Lelouch thought quickly as he surveyed his surroundings stopping just long enough to do so. His plan he had concocted since his failed suicide would no long stand, meaning he would have to act off of pure moment and situation assessment. He turned to the two guards he had under Geass in a split second.

"Get me out of the building as quickly as possible."

"Your Highness!" They said in unison.

Lelouch caught a frustrated roar from the otherwise engaged Cornelia. He let out into a run not bothering to look over his shoulder, the guards flanking either of his sides and he sprinted down the hall and around the corner. On his way down, he had taken extra care to remember the exact way to get back up to the ground levels. He gritted his teeth though as he stopped, already out of breath, at the first flight of stairs. His wound was already on fire. He looked back down the way they'd come. No one was there. He looked down at his feet. He had meant to release Alana as soon as he could, but now it looked that the girl really would end up in custody over this.

"My lord we must continue." One of the guards said to him.

He gave a swift nod before starting up the stairs. His jaw clenched at the pain. Stairs were of the devil he decided. But he didn't have time to complain now, He needed to get as far away from Cornelia as possible if he was going have any hope of getting out of the building without another insurrection. The alarms still blared in his ears as he reached the second set of stairs. There were two more before they would reach the ground level. He hated to think about climbing them all in his current condition. Well, no, that was a lie. He hated to think about them in a regular condition either. Again, stairs were sent straight from the devil just to make him want to heave up his lungs. He would have risked an elevator if wasn't for the controls. If security shut the elevator down while they were still inside he wasn't sure he'd have the time to hack back into the system and get it going again. The point is that he had no choice, but he accursed stairs.

Finally, out of breath and in severe pain they reached the ground floor. Lelouch heaved against the wall. One hand clutched at the same wall while the other pressed long fingers over his abdomen. His hooded eyes looked to the guards. They were restless, still convinced they had to get him out as quickly as was humanly possible and he was taking a rest. He shook the pain off as best he could standing firmly again and let the two guards lead the way out. Each step burned through his mid-region. The pain clouded his thoughts as he continued onward, slower now. If he were to break into a run, he feared he might collapse then and there. A smile flickered at the thought. That might actually be favorable. Once passed out the guards would have no choice to carry him out of the building. That might actually sped up the time they made it out of the building.

Lelouch gave a slight shake of his head despite his thoughts. He had to be able to be awake for this. There had already been too many things that had gone wrong and he had a feeling that Cornelia would be the last of unexpected surprised he'd encounter on his way to freedom. At the worst of it, Suzaku could possibly show up. That would more than bring Lelouch to a screeching halt. He knew that right now he was at a disadvantage to start with, and he was in a situation where physical performance would prove key…meaning he'd lose twice as hard to Suzaku. Lelouch wanted to growl. His plan had been perfect, but now there were too many variables getting in the way. He was making his strategy up as he went…something he hated doing.

Lelouch sped up to a jog as they swung around a corner. They were amazingly close to the doors now. Only a little longer and-

Three men, soldiers Lelouch guessed, placed themselves at the end of the hall. In each of their hands was a long rifle. Helmet visors were all pulled down to protect their eyes. Lelouch gave a scowl as the two guards at his sides made themselves ready between their master and the new threat.

"Surrender your weapons, and hand over the prisoner!" One of the men yelled, scripted and clearly practiced.

"We must get his highness out of the building," was the two guards only reply. They spoke just as toneless, their voices bland and robotic in nature.

"We will use force if necessary!" The same man billowed back.

Lelouch felt a twitch at the side of his mouth. They had been ordered to use necessary force, which meant they were also ordered not to kill. They wanted Lelouch alive. He could work very well with this piece of information. Subsequently though he never got the chance.

"Whatever his Highness desires!" He heard billowed in a strong voice very familiar to him.

Lelouch turned, the twisted smile already playing at the corners of his mouth. His luck had just become amazingly better.

"Lord Gottwald!" Lelouch let slip from his tongue easily.

"Your Highness!" The man at the opposite end of the hall gave a sweeping bow of regality.

A sickly sweet smile sliced through Lelouch's face as his eyes flared a deeper red. Those red birds flashed as Lelouch watched his most loyal servant before him. He, confidently, then turns back to the row of security standing between him and his freedom. His chin rose just slightly as his hands fisted at his sides. He stepped closer taking a wider, poised stance. His shoulders were held perfectly with all the regality of his born aristocracy.

"Now—" Lelouch started as his hand flew up in its own flamboyant nature. His fingers fell elegant out towards the men and fanned out like a spider's web. They set themselves poised, like he was presenting himself to them as the emperor he knew he was. "You will be obeying my or—"

"Lord Jeramiah!"

Lelouch snapped with a crippling sound of denial, his eyes latched wide. A deathly sound halted on its way forth from his throat resulting in an awful choking sound as he looked face to face with Cornelia

* * *

Phase 4: Divergence

"Cornelia!" Lelouch let rip from this throat like a razor blade he wished to slam into her chest cavity and punctuate her heart just enough that he could rip the thing out and watch as she bled to death, gargled bloody threats dripping from her lips.

"Lord Jeremiah seize him!" Cornelia ordered.

Lelouch reeled back at her utterance to his servant. His hands clawed in to the air at his sides and his feet stumbled a foot or so back.

"Jeremiah! We can't let him die here, nor can we let him leave!" Cornelia snarled out again.

Jeremiah's eyes were on Lelouch though. Lelouch knew what he was looking for. This had all been part of the plan. The original plan, of course, before Suzaku had been an idiot and messed everything up. They had had every second planned out and this had been a facet to their scheming. Only now Jeremiah knew. He had very abruptly been made aware that there had been a disturbance, and that things had gone drastically wrong somewhere down the road. Lelouch was certain that up until now his servant must have been playing it by ear. He must have petitioned to Cornelia and gotten his way back in. It wouldn't have been hard, simply tell them all that he, Lord Jeremiah, could not see to have his emperor murdered so in exchange for saving his life he would serve Zero.

Lelouch's eyes moved rapidly to read the situation and the few options still open to him. What was blatantly staring him in the face was the one option he knew was the best for the situation and yet it was the one he wanted to refuse altogether. He let out a frustrated growl. He wanted out! He'd served as the world's sacrificial lamb, now he simple wanted it over! He wanted to be done with the world and its hideous betrayal. As always his freedom was being dangled before him, just out of reach.

But he knew he could brood over it later. Jeremiah was searching his face with intent. He was searching for orders. Lelouch knew what he had to do. He just didn't want to do it! He couldn't die here, they wouldn't let him. He knew he needed to be out of the building, out of their reach. He knew it! C.c. had warned him—

"Jeremiah, seize him or so help me I will seize him myself!" Cornelia snarled perplexed by the stillness of the both Lelouch and Jeremiah. Lelouch knew he had to act now least Cornelia would start to suspect.

Lelouch gave one last fleeting look behind him. He knew this hall led directly to the front entrance doors. He was mere feet from getting out and yet—he gave Jeremiah, as discretely as possible, a defeated shake of his head.

Within half a second the former lord acted and surged forward. The guards on either side of Lelouch came up immediately to their emperors aid. Lelouch already knew it was over though. He'd lost this round. His shoulders slumped as Gottwald armed with the long dagger he preferred cut through the first guard and thrust the other aside. Lelouch let his face fall just slightly as his vision was blocked by the man. Long legs propelled Jeremiah into the air. Lelouch looked up just as Jeremiah came down. He stood before in the half a second his most loyal servant was in the air he lifted his palms to hold them out before him open, receiving. He let slight smile grace his lips and he faced his defeat with as much grace as he could muster. As always, he ever considered himself that lamb to the slaughter.

The impact was gentler than Lelouch expected. He was still thrown, spun, and collided face down on the, his arms barred behind his back, pain seared and throbbed through his torso. He heard the hurried footsteps of the guards as they rushed forward. There was the shrill of Cornelia's voice as she pelted out orders to all those surrounding her. He felt the ache in his neck from the forcefulness. Jeremiah was over him a hand on his shoulder, holding him down, and another at his arms, holding them still. Lelouch's eyes were on the end of the hall. He noticed that one of the two double doors was open ever so slightly. He focused harder on it. The foot falls of soldiers and security all rushed around him. He heard Jeremiah speak but he didn't care, his eyes on the crack in the two doors.

Then abruptly the door closed. Through a slight breeze or of its own accord he wasn't sure. He only gave a long wavered look at it.

Within moments his world turned black as a blind fold was pulled over his eyes. He was hauled to his unstable feet a moment later. He was grateful it was Jeremiah, as the man gave him a moment to recapture his balance before he was nudged forward to walk.

"I'm sorry," Jeremiah said in the quietest of tones at his left. "Your Highness."

Lelouch only gave a small nod. He'd done what he had too, as he always did and more than likely always would.

* * *

Unexpected Phase: Informative

Suzaku sat in the large room populated with the heads of every major player in the new world, namely Nunnally vi Britannia. He sat at her left, trying very hard to process the endless lecturing of his cousin, Kaguya. The girl was now head of the Federation of Nations and seemed to take her role very seriously as she spoke on behalf of the current Federation countries. Nunnally would within the hour be signing close to thirty requests to subseed from the empire. Quite simply in this one meeting Britannia was becoming a nation of the Homeland solely. It was critical, to do so, the two had both agreed.

Suzaku gave a smile under the dark blue mask he wore, now on a daily basis. His eyes wondered to the lovely form of Nunnally as she sat poised and refined as the royalty she was. She was truly as amazing as her brother. He had told her with in the first few hours of the assassination that he was Suzaku. He couldn't tell the others and not tell her. It seemed wrong somehow. Even if he'd really intended to let Lelouch die, he knew he would have told Nunnally afterwards. Of that specific matter, he had yet to speak to Nunnally about, and he wasn't sure why exactly he kept it from her. Then again, Lelouch had shown no interest in seeing his little sister, a fact that hadn't gone unnoticed by the knight. It was unlike Lelouch and yet he had a hunch he knew why the boy hadn't' wanted to see his lovely little sibling. That reason was the very same he kept the dark blue cell-phone very near him. It was in his hand at that moment as he fiddled with it under the table.

It was these damn meetings, all of them. Suzaku had never had to sit still so long in his entire life, and as consequence he'd started the habit of fidgeting.

The meetings had been nonstop since getting off the plane. He'd expressed his explicit interest in spending as little time in the Chinese Federation as possible. It was something he knew Lelouch would have scolded him for, because as he would more than likely put it, "Zero, serves those around him! He scorns no one and is always patient. Zero has no personal agenda; therefore, no personal needs. " To that Suzaku would roll his eyes. That was a blatant lie. Lelouch had had his own personal agenda the whole damn time. It wouldn't seem strange if he simply wanted to stay in Japan as much as possible. Suzaku figured as long as he didn't say something along the lines of my boyfriend, the former emperor (that I killed, but really didn't kill) is in Japan and I'm afraid if I leave him for too long he'll engage in a range of things from killing himself to blowing up the world…or becoming a dictator again, but you know really not a huge issue, just make sure I get back before his older sister takes it upon herself to kill him…again. Besides no one knew of Lelouch except a select few he trusted to keep on keeping their mouths shut.

His hand atop the table top lightly flipped through the notes before him when the phone decided to go off. His head snapped immediately to the phone. There was no ID but the location read Tokyo. He reasoned quickly before ignoring the call. It had been at most ten hours since he'd left the city, if anything happened it would be that Lelouch called Cornelia something she found offensive and was now asking permission the fry the boys eyes up and feed them to a pack of dogs. Besides that, Cornelia knew he wasn't planning on answering any phone calls till the day was over.

Immediately the phone started up again. He pushed ignore and threw the phone in his lap.

Irritation was at work in his face behind that mask. Cornelia had known his whole first day here would be spent busy. Why was she so damn insistent? He calmly told himself to breath. She was a damn royal, meaning that she was used to getting her way, and unlike Schneizel who just did whatever he told him to she thought she still had power. Thought, was the key word in that sentence. The former royal had yet to learn her place in the new world. Suzaku knew she was gunning for several of the positions Nunnally was setting up in Britannia—If they could get the country back on line anytime soon. The situation was becoming ridiculous.

He felt the baring of his teeth into a snarl before calming himself. This wasn't the time to howl in frustration. He felt a smile immediately leak into his features. Maybe Lelouch was right after all, he was acting rather wolf like as of late. The boy's theories had always intrigued Suzaku. If nothing else they never left him bored. He bowed his head a bit at that. No, with Lelouch he was never bored. There was always something to fight about. It was always a struggle to stay together. Even in high school they had almost ended it so many times.

Then when he was with Euphy—he remembered how easy it was to be with her. She had never even tried to oppose him, not once. When he looked back he could see it, the many times she had simply just agreed with him.

They were so different the two. Lelouch who would never budged on anything. He always had his mind made up instantly. He always had an opinion on the matter, and would usually give it, asked for or not. He was never hesitant to start a fight. Never unsure of himself. He was Lelouch…

Euphy had been the opposite. He remembered the first time he met her and it was like she hadn't even considered what right and wrong were or whether the world was either of the two. He had presented the idea to her and almost instantly it was like she had latched on to it…latched on to him also. Didn't she wager it in her head at all, he wondered to himself? Hadn't she ever thought about it before just agreeing instantly? There had to have been some deliberation.

He sighed inwardly. He'd always loved that about Lelouch. He knew Suzaku wasn't stupid. There had always been the jokes about him having the thick head of a jock, but never from Lelouch. He smiled. Euphy once had told him he thought too much all the time. His eyes narrowed. Lelouch had always pushed him to think harder. He gave a short shake of the head. No, Lelouch had always pushed him period. If it wasn't to get better grades than he did, it was to beat the other classmates in PE. He would challenge every one of the theories he presented to the prince. He had forced him to think about why he thought something not just that he thought it. Even as Zero, Lelouch had pushed him still. He had made him be a better soldier. He had forced him to fight harder and longer, until he felt like he couldn't fight anymore, and even then he just kept pushing, until Suzaku was forced to stand and face that masked demon again. He had become who he was because of Lelouch.

But then again also because of Euphy—He looked down his hand almost instinctively going to the spot on his chest, just over his heart. He had held on to that pin for so long, started to leave it off only recently. His eyes half hooded deep with the memory. At the palace was when he had stopped wearing it, and it had actually been Lelouch to convince him to stop. The emperor really hadn't even said anything, only looked at it one day for a long moment. He could still remember it very clear for how long it felt since then. He had been escorting His Highness back to his room for the night when, as was customary, Lelouch had turned to say goodnight to him. His deep hued eyes had stopped only for a few moments on the pin on Suzaku's chest. It hadn't been the only look, the next morning as Lelouch sat at the large oak desk in the open office he had looked up and briefly over at it. Suzaku had been sure it was to the pin not to him at all. The next morning he had left it on his dresser. He shook his head subconsciously. He was living in the past far too much lately.

He looked back down at his notes in front of him. He needed to stay focused right now. He had no time to waste thinking on flashes of memories he only had hunches about the meanings behind. He lifted the front page, looking over to try to find where they had gotten to in his little spell of—

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

He closed his eyes as the edge of his mouth twitched in slight irritation. He snaked a hand back down to the phone. He peaked a look down to it while the thought occurred to him that this was all very high school—next he'd start texting under the table, while trying to look like he was writing notes. He gave a snort and pressed a side button to give him ID. 'Unknown,' flashed up at him, like an alert message on crack, but 'Tokyo' read under as the call location, both meant one thing, Cornelia. Suzaku gave another short snort, he swore he had picked that up from Lelouch somewhere along the way, and pressed the ignore button. Cornelia was a big girl she should be able to handle at the very least the first night without him. He then looked down at the notes. He needed to concentrate. The world was at stake here, if nothing else he could at least needed to pay the speaker some attention.

Several minutes later he found himself staring up at a well dressed receptionist as she came forward to him. She leaned down quickly, upon reaching his side, to whisper quietly.

"My Lord, Zero, there is a call waiting for you. Privacy was requested by the callers so if you would please, we have a room waiting for you."

Suzaku felt the twitch at his lips again. Cornelia was getting on his nerves more than possibly even her little brother had ever accomplished. He had given her full rein out there as far as the Tokyo Building had been concerned and all he had asked for in return was that she keep Lelouch under a watchful eye and a firm grip. He'd even let her put Lelouch in a holding cell! Suzaku had managed to keep the boy alive and out of trouble with out that!

He stood stiffly though. His training for Zero automatically kicked in as he lengthened his stride and held his arms close to him as he walked out of the room. The receptionist followed quickly behind before at the door she took the lead and showed him to what looked to be a small sitting room. He gave the room an instinctive sweep over of his eyes before he gave a nod of satisfaction to the receptionist. He'd spent a majority of his life as protection, which made for very deep rooted habits, some of which he knew would probably never die. The woman took her leave quickly after gesturing to the land line phone on a small side table.

Suzaku watched her leave before he picked up the receiver.

"This is Zero." He answered as he always did behind the mask.

"You're little pathetic pet is a pain in the arse, Kururugi." Cornelia said in her pristine and highly articulate Britannian.

Suzaku's eyes narrowed. That Britannian royal brat… "I'm so glad you could inform me of that fact, but if you don't mind I was in the midst of something rather important, so if you would—"

"I am very close to slitting his throat, you know." Cornelia interrupted in a calm tone.

Suzaku stopped. His mind was frozen. Cornelia's words hadn't scared him so much as her tone had stopped him mid thought. She was too callous about this—which meant only one thing. She was really considering it. This wasn't another snarled out comeback. She truly wanted Lelouch's blood now and the quiet calculated tone told him, she'd thought this over. She wasn't acting off of a whim. His eyes widened. What had Lelouch done?

"He is a spectacular liar isn't he?" Cornelia continued.

"Cornelia—" Suzaku started in a vicious snarl, his white teeth bared and eyes mere slits as his entire face contorted with the word.

"Don't start with me, Kururugi!" She hissed out, pointedly cutting him off as well.

Suzaku felt his nails dig through the strained fabric of thee gloves at his side. "Whatever you do to him know that when I get back I will serve back to you seven fold." He breathed, his voice low in his chest. His lips still quivered with the threat of anther growl but he kept quiet knowing now was no the time to start lashing out.

"Did you have any idea what he was planning?" Cornelia said her voice calculative, controlled again.

Suzaku stopped. He felt a twitch at the left of his cheek but ignored it as he considered what to say. "Where is he?" It was the only question he knew he really needed to know at that very moment.

"We have him in another holding cell, solitary confinement , sector one." Cornelia answered back calmly.

Suzaku hadn't realized until he breathed out a long solemn breath, that he had been holding his breath at all. He let his eyes close for a moment. Considering his options, he wanted to take off the mask as he felt the urge to run his hand through his hair, but stifled the urge knowing this was not the place for such brash actions. At the very least he knew Lelouch was safe. He certainly wasn't comfortable, but he was safe and Cornelia wouldn't be hurting him it sounded like, no matter how badly she may want to hurt him.

"Alright," he breathed out a little more quiet then he liked. He quickly tempered his voice injecting a chord of authority back in to it. "What happened?"

"That accursed boy is one spectacular liar." Cornelia seethed on the other end.

There was no sound in the room for a long moment as Suzaku prepared for the long story he was about to regret asking for.

* * *

The room, a modest hotel room on the west side of Tokyo, was dark. All the linins and walls were of the same wheat hues and soft tones, but caste by the night in ot somber and encompassing indigo blues of the night. Through the tall French windows, the light of the moon streamed in, it caste a longer pale blue form across the carpet. Golden cat-like eyes caught the same light and gleamed as C.c.'s slender form stepped in front of the window. Her eyes were forward, ignoring in the street below, her mouth pressed into a hard line as she watched the distant star glazed horizon. She folded her arms loosely across her chest as she waited. It had been hours since there had been any word and she had grown ever more impatient as the minutes clicked by.

"He safe." The words were accompanied by the sound at eh door as Jeremiah let himself in.

She didn't turn to meet his gaze, didn't want to meet his gaze, or that awful contraption for an eye. "That's the best news I've heard all night." Her tone was as flat as ever.

"I'm not sure how, but he was very close to getting out." Jeremiah commented as he helped himself to a chair near the window.

"Does he know I'm in Japan?" she asked.

Jeremiah placed his elbow on the armrest and leaned his cheek against it. "My guess would be no, but we didn't get to exactly have a nice chat about it either."

She gave a nod. "How long until you think we could get him out?"

"Before this little incident?" he gave a wry smile. "It would have been a matter of possibly hours. Now? We may want to take up a more permanent residence here in Tokyo."

She gave a frown. "And after we went through all that work at that old mansion, it's a shame, but I can't say I expected anything different."

"Does he know?" It was a bored question, but one of consequence.

"Yes." Her voice wasn't harsh, never harsh, but it was particularly firm. "I spoke to him about it just after it happened."

Jeremiah gave a nod. "Things are going to get very tricky from this point out. Our best bet may be to wait it out until Suzaku decides to take him to Pendragon."

"I don't want to have to deal with that political mess." C.c. snapped.

Jeremiah allowed his eyes to cross the room only for a brief moment to look at her. This time he was met with the cold cat like golden stare. "I do beg your pardon, but it is either the mess of having everyone he's ever known and betrayed here or having only a few in Pendragon."

C.c. gave a frown. "If we can get him here, we will, but only if need be will we wait until he gets to Pendragon."

* * *

_So notes for this chapter:_

_Sorry on how short this is. I tried to make the refinement process as productive as possible for this one, but action is harder to spread than dialog. It's like frozen butter vs. warm, just not the same at all. _

_So if you don't know, which I'm sure a lot of you do and as a few of you have probably guessed, my favorite character is Suzaku, so in writing this chapter I had a lot of fun at the end. I got to go a little introspective with him and I loved it! In my Curse of Fayte story I get to do it a lot more cause that stories half and half between Lelouch and Suzaku, and for the most part major vs. Minor is from Suzaku as well, but the little bits and pieces I get from this one make me happy too. Which actually goes well with my chapter/story question this go around, __**Who is your favorite character from Code Geass and why? **__I know there's going to be an overwhelming chorus of LELOUCH! But I'm sticking to my little Suzakupuppy, the little cutie. And my reason why is… well I might just be keeping that little intrigue to myself. He's such a cute little puppy!_


	10. What do I mean to you?

Special Thanks: **Khandalis, AcidBubblewrap, Blckrsdyng, Atheist1, Fra, Toki, LittleBlackRaven, luckless-is-me, unheardcries, Volkenon, TheRedLamp, Monochromaticsky, athea.** Thanks for all the lovely and loved reviews!

Note from Author: So if you haven't noticed I haven't updated this story in—a very long time. I haven't meant to have such a hold up. I've just had a very hard time working this chapter out.

* * *

Chapter 10 2.0

What do I mean to you?

2/14/2011 10:46 PM

* * *

The cell was cold. It had been cold for the past –well he wasn't sure how long. There was a draft in the room, but he was never positive on where it came from. He knew the cell couldn't be big. As far as he could tell, it was probably just big enough that if he pressed his palm to one wall he could stretch his other arm out and touch the adjacent wall as well. The length of the room seemed just enough to hold the bed, and nothing else. He was taken twice a day to the restroom, which was the only time the blindfold was taken off. Even then, he was crammed into a tinny room with a toilet, a sink, and a mirror, which he knew was a two-way. The hand cuffs would come off then also, but only on the last visit of the day. He was fed twice a day, as well. Not that the food was worth the wait. He usually left most of it untouched, while he choked down only enough to curb the ache in his stomach.

He spent a majority of his time on the bed curled, as much as the wound would allow, asleep. The leg hobbles would start to ache after about an hour, as far as he figured, and he would have to switch sides or change positions somehow. He wasn't allowed awareness of time. It was a luxury that the blindfold made incapable. To top it all off was the prisoners uniform. Build to restrain as much movement as possible, without actually being a straight jacket, it pulled around his shoulders and constricted the slender turns of his hips. His skin itched and dried under the harsh fabric after only the first few days. He'd been allowed to change uniforms about every three days, which was also when he was allowed to bathe.

Lelouch knew he had gotten himself in this situation and there was no getting himself out of it, at least not now. As he had said, he wasn't allowed time, which meant that he didn't know exactly how long he'd been trapped in that infernal cell. He had tried at first to track the meals and the bathroom times, but that turned into folly and as he found himself sleeping more and more the whole concept of time became incomprehensible in his situation. There was a florescent light over head that as far as he could tell never shut off. At first, the light had hindered his sleep. Even with the blindfold it had always blared down at him and irritated him with the constant flickering. He ignored it more effortlessly as time had gone on.

Time going on was the only thing he was aware of. He was never confronted, which he found interesting, about his attempt to get past the doors. The last moments had rolled over and over in his head. He had need to say more but—

* * *

What do I mean to you?

* * *

"Your Highness," the soft almost purr of Jeremiah's words made Lelouch want to crumble. He had never been one for fear, but he was one that did not take well to surprises. He was good at adaption, always had been, until it sunk in, when the numbers and the theories had all finally been allowed to leave and the severity of his situation could set into his bones and make his eyes wide with the loss of control and fragilely of his thin line of sanity was sent into a vibrating hum. He'd pulled that line ever tighter and tighter since he'd first become Zero. Now it felt as if it was going to snap and of all times Suzaku wouldn't be there.

That was in no way how he'd planned it. He'd made sure, if at all possibly Suzaku could be there, even a murderous Suzaku was more of a comfort than the loneliness of having that space empty.

"Are you alright?" the same smooth voice of his asked at his ear.

No, Lelouch wanted to answer in a childish tone, but he didn't and he knew he wouldn't. Failure was something he never took well, especially from Cornelia. Suzaku was a whole different matter entirely, he'd been force to accept defeat from him on numerous occasions. When it came down to it, Suzaku and him had been at it for two years and eight year before that even. Eight years ago it had involved a lot more shoving and name calling more than anything else but it had been the start of the whole thing…along with that damned kiss! It was ironic but now too it seemed to involve a lot of shoving and name calling and subsequently also kissing—although all of it seemed to amped up a notch or two from that to stabbings, lots and lots of name calling, like murder and dirty rat bastard, and instead of just kissing they were really just border lining on sex all the time.

"I'm not dead." Lelouch whispered as hushed as he could manage while still trying to sound sure of himself. He wasn't certain if Jeremiah would grasp the full meaning of his words, but he hoped so.

The blindfold had been securely in place since the moment of him being thrown to the ground. He wasn't sure where he was walking too but it sounded as if there was people walking both behind and in front of him and Jeremiah. Thank the heavens, that indeed, yes, it was Jeremiah that walked directly behind him, close enough to protect him and from what it appears even communicate, and form that Lelouch could gather that where ever they were going it wasn't Cornelia showing them there, and whomever the men were, Jeremiah had deemed them a minimal threat enough to try and communicate with Lelouch despite their presence.

In any other circumstance he would have scolded Jeremiah for his possibly brash actions. But in this moment things were far too complicated to deem something a wrong or right action. Lelouch knew that Jeremiah was just as lost as to what just happened as Lelouch was, probably even more on account of his absence, and Lelouch hoped (dare he say prayed?) that he knew where Jeremiah had been. He didn't have the sanity left to be able to take another betrayal.

Lelouch let out a rather unconscious groan at the thought of his mental state. Thoughts were-everywhere, they fluttered and tittered between rational thought and implicit, and selfish want, neither of which gaining enough ground to be able to win out and let him finally make a conclusion. But there were the ever constant thoughts though. They were the ones he worked at burying, deeper than any other, and refused to make known to any human being. Not all of them surfaced of course, some far to locked up, but others, the ones that as of late had progressively lost ground would start to creep and crawl out from the shadows.

A whimper rose as he unwittingly thought deeper on the matter (what do you think of when I tell you, don't think of Elephants?), his sub conscious very much floated to his conscious. If Jeremiah hadn't had such firm hold on to Lelouch, the boy may have started to shake. He hadn't had to face these thoughts for so long, he hadn't had to beat them down and when he had he'd been strong enough to do it, but now—there had been so much to weaken that particular wall.

He lifted his head just a fraction. He couldn't believe that the words he wanted to speak. He couldn't believe he was going to speak those words. It had been so long since he'd stooped that low, so much had happened, and even then he'd had his face pressed to the stone. He moved his teeth across the bottom of his lips, to stall the words from pouring out faster than he ever wanted. He felt dry then, his mouth barren, like the top of his mouth was hard gravel. He took a long swallow before he ran his tongue over his lips, it was like sandpaper that had been sanded down to a smooth roughness that caught at random points.

He closed his eyes behind the blindfold. He had to say it, if nothing else to still the terror of the thoughts.

"Where—where is Suzaku?"

There was no hesitation and no sign of mockery, despite that fact he knew that the state of his and Suzaku's relationship had been no secret to Jeremiah. It had been hard to hide all the backbiting with the servants around, it had been night impossibly to hide the threats and arguments with any one Suzaku considered no harm.

"I will make sure he is sent for as soon as I can, Your Highness."

And just like that he could breath again. The feeling of blood congealed over his brain was allowed to drain. He hated that boy. He hated him! …but he was coming…and really that is all that Lelouch really felt at that moment.

"Thank you." Lelouch breathed as low as he could. He caught a glance of Jeremiah's nod of acceptance behind him.

* * *

When it finally happened, when he was finally given some glimmer of hope—it was the opposite of what Lelouch had expected. He had expected Suzuki in all honesty. He had expected his knight in all his glory furious at him ad at the treatment, and a bit flushed as Lelouch would be swept back up into those arms… or that Suzaku would just be mad at him, but Lelouch could dream a bit. He had an unending amount of time anyway.

She had entered the cell slow, each step taken consciously and with full bodily movement. There was no mistaking who it was in Lelouch's mind. He'd know almost immediately. Only one person could be so quiet only with the small click of the short heels on her black boots to announce her presence. No one else could hold their breathing at such a low yet still audible decibel. She was also the only person that Lelouch had noticed could command the presence of a room in such a manor. She wasn't a leader, but she had such a way about her so defiant and so raw there was no mistaking her with any other woman.

"It's Kallen." She announced herself as she stepped towards the bed.

Lelouch hadn't needed the announcement but he took it regardless. He would have taken anyone at that moment, even Cornelia. Though with a parting like the one he'd last left her with the last two time he doubted his dearly beloved sister would ever willingly visit him, unless it was an interrogation maybe, but Lelouch really didn't have any secrets left so an interrogation would be pointless.

He hated to be alone as much as he loved his alone time. It was the lack of presence that had ate at him so undaunting over the past few days. Without knowing why he wasn't being interrogated, why he wasn't being smacked up against the wall. Even knowing they probably wouldn't get a thing out of him and him having nothing to give, they still had just left him alone. He could handle possible abuse, torture, neglect. But what he couldn't handle, what he hated was to be ignored, and he could tell that the moment he'd been put in this cell that had been the immediate goal. Despite Suzaku's best efforts no one had accepted his presence and now they just wanted it gone. Lelouch wasn't even hated anymore he was just a nuisance no longer worth the effort.

"How long has it been?" Lelouch voiced, a sharp tone but not to the point of being curt. He knew he should be greeting her properly. But it was him, his mind needed information and information he'd been long starved for.

"Oh, uh a while not since I was at your hospital room." Kallen said quietly. She seemed a bit fidgety, like she wasn't exactly sure herself what she was doing there.

Lelouch gave a sigh. To tell the truth, he wasn't exactly sure what she was doing there either., but every chance for information must be taken advantage of to it's most rewarding extent. "No, how long have I been in here?"

"Oh," Kallen said. She sounded surprised, but as she continued not so much. "It—it's been about a week." There was a pang of disappointment in her voice, but seeing as how she'd pulled a knife on Lelouch the last time, he really didn't care much.

Lelouch nodded at the answer. He had been right about that at least. He had thought possibly even longer but he'd give himself credit—he'd gotten most of it right.

"I…" Kallen trailed off.

Lelouch looked, or at least turned his head up to her. It was a peculiar thing that she was here and hadn't already brandished a knife and threatened to stick it in his gut, as cliché as that prospect was becoming, it was still the most probable given her previous behavior in te same room with him. He really couldn't' blame her either, he had lied to her, and used her and refused her—the point was the list was pretty long and he'd say he regretted it but he really didn't.

"So," Lelouch started. "are you going to kill me?" It wasn't the greatest conversation starter he would admit that, but it was something and she was here apparently for no reason, so the only option left was the one he had voiced.

There was no answer. Lelouch tilted his head hoping to coax her into some kind of reply of any kind, even the 'shink' of that knife coming out would have been a plus at this point in the conversation, or lack of conversation.

"Is there something you would like, Kallen?" Lelouch finally voiced over the roaring silence. This time his tone was a bit more clipped.

"I—" she started again, cutting off sharper this time. Lelouch could just imagine her gritting her teeth and tucking her head down—just the way she always did when she was nervous and trying not to show it. "I just—" She stalled out again.

Lelouch, damn his attention span, was growing impatient, "Well?" Once it was out he had wished he hadn't voice himself so harshly. It was a snap back and Lelouch wanted to scold himself for it. Kallen wasn't threatening him for the first time since he had 'died' and now all he could do was snap at her? That was not very gentleman like.

"Nothing." Kallen answered, her voice back to that all business kind he'd once heard so much as Zero. "I just came to drop by your food."

"Right," Lelouch nodded. "Thank you, Kallen." he made a point to use her name. They –well their relationship wasn't exactly peachy keen—were not friends at this time, but just maybe if he acknowledged her enough he could get a friend back. He had little to nothing to lose at this point, after all, and now that his plan had been put to a short stop he had an ample amount of time as well, so why not work on trying to make friends? If Suzaku was so convinced that he was the only person left in Lelouch's life, maybe it was time to prove him wrong and make some new allies again.

There was a pause, a lull into silence, making Lelouch think that Kallen had already left without even a good bye or dropping off he food. He wouldn't be surprised if he'd made her angry again. He seemed to have that affect on people as of late.

"You're welcome." Her voice was quiet and there was a small sound of metal as she set the tray down at Lelouch's side.

She didn't leave though, Lelouch could tell as there was no further sound of footsteps out of the room. He wasn't sure what to do exactly it wasn't like this was supposed to be a friendly gift from one to another. It was awkward and Lelouch wasn't sure how to handle a Kallen that wasn't trying to kill him out of revenge or whatever she was hoping for.

That had actually been on Lelouch's mind recently. His mind was all he had in the lonely cell so over the past week it had worked furiously to find a way out and after that had been exhausted his thoughts had wandered to several other places, most were pure folly, but one of them had been Kallen. She hated him that had been made clear, but the question as to why wasn't. The fact she'd thought he'd weaseled his way out of death couldn't be the only thing keeping her stuck in this anger. Was there something he hadn't seen in her before that had finally come to the surface?

He quirked his head at the thought. There wasn't much other ways to conclude. She was so secretive to him—though she would never admit it openly—possibly even held more from him than he had held from her. Lelouch had had to learn of her brother from Ohgi, even. It had seemed at most times that they weren't really even friends more of allies, but not like C.c. and him. he and Kallen had a common goal, and C.c. always had an agenda, one she rarely revealed.

"You really do just want to die, don't you?"

Lelouch, startled out of his thought process blinked behind the blindfold. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Jeremiah told me what happened, what you did to try and get out." she went on. Her voice was still quiet, distilled, an octave lower than usual.

There was a click of Kallen's shoes as Lelouch guessed she turned to him.

Lelouch nodded, a bit nervous. "I did." He wasn't sure what else to say.

"Well," Kallen seemed to be fidgeting or something, as far as Lelouch could tell from the slight rustle of clothing. "I just—" She stopped for a moment more before when she spoke next Lelouch could help smile as that harsher voice had returned. "He's pretty angry with you." A topic switch was always better than talking about herself.

"Jeremiah?" Lelouch tried to clarify.

"No." she waited just a moment before continuing. "I mean Suza—Zero."

Lelouch nodded. "Ah, I see." He cleared his throat. "Well, the two of us seem to be constantly immersed in conflict—and he never seems to approve of many of my choices—so I doubt this will be worse than anything I've faced before with him."

There was another lull in the conversation. Lelouch wasn't sure why exactly Kallen was even still here, but he said nothing. He couldn't bring himself to kick out the only visitor he'd had in an entire week. He wouldn't admit aloud that he was starting to crave the company—but he was, and in whatever form he could get it in. Kallen and he were immersed in a bvery awkward conversation, that seemed to be going nowhere, but it was still conversation, something Lelouch hadn't had in a good week.

"I respect him!" Kallen abruptly blurted, her voice still harsh.

"What?" Lelouch considered himself a decently intelligent person and then some, but Kallen wasn't making a whole lot of sense. It could have been the fact he'd had no one to talk to for the past week or so and before he mostly spoke to Suzaku. He'd never been so hot on the social scene any way so that could also be a big part of it.

"I just wanted you to know, I respect him. Zero, that is."

This time it was Lelouch, who found himself without anything to say. It was a rare occurrence, since Lelouch would even admit it to himself he liked the sound of his own voice. There were few times in his life when he'd been struck utterly speechless, and over such a trivial matter. But it wasn't trivial, not to both of them and Lelouch knew it. It was a step at least. Maybe not a bounding leap of aith or anything of that cliché nature, but there was a glimmer of hope in those words.

There was the click of Kallen's boots as she started towards the door.

"Wait!" Lelouch stalled her.

Her footsteps stopped, waiting for Lelouch's response.

"Thank you," he said rather low, but still loud enough for her to hear. "Thank you, Kallen."

* * *

Avoidance was something Suzaku had never done well when it came to Lelouch. In high school, or now, it was always the same damn cycle. They fell in and out of each other's good side and yet still revolved around each other. After so long, Suzaku had to admit he wasn't sure there even was another way to live for him to live besides tittering between blissful happiness and the white hot rage that would flare over something Lelouch had had to do or say or just be.

He grasped the mask, his finger finding the back to fit his finger on to the latch, to release the back, and pull it off. The bathroom door was closed firmly and locked. Suzaku had been becoming ever watchful more and more lately. He'd told those he'd felt needed to know his identify to be able to get what he needed for Lelouch—but he felt it, just like Lelouch had felt it. There was a need for Zero's Identity to fade back into the shadows. He couldn't say that he regretted telling those around him exactly who he was. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, what's done was done.

That didn't mean he still didn't feel the drive. It could have been the fact that by all legal accounts and most social he was dead and would stay that way. He looked into the mirror, his bright olive green eyes staring back at him. His appearances hadn't changed much from High School, and somehow it felt odd to look at himself. He almost wanted to put the mask back on. Like his own face had become a reminder that the real Suzaku Kururug, the one that had a headstone at his family's old shrine, like the one that had been a knight, like the one everyone else in the world thought was dead, gone, buried under the rubble and the lies and the mask. It was Nunnally that he hated to think of the most. She was one of the few people he hadn't told and yet—Suzaku knew that she must know, and because of that he felt like he was lying to her again. Eventually he would have to find a way to convince the others that he was dead. Eventually he'd have to find a way to convince everybody he was dead.

A nod was all he could do for that moment, a promise and affirmative to himself. It was decided for him. As soon as he could find a way too, find some way to keep Lelouch under wraps and next to him. He'd work on this problem. The problem that Suzaku was still very much known and that he no longer felt the need to be known. As long as his identity was known, by anyone, Suzaku wouldn't be able to fully do his job. This job, the mask in his hands, was ll he really had left besides Lelouch, and he barely had Lelouch.

"Excuse me?" There was a knock at the tiny bathroom door.

Suzaku quickly retrieved the mask putting it on so that the voice alteration would be present. "Yes?"

"The captain has informed me that we are landing soon, sir." The stewardess beyond the door answered him. A little hesitant, but it was to be expected.

"Alright." Suzaku nodded. "Thank you for informing me."

"Yes sir." The stewardess answered before Suzaku heard her foot steps away.

Suzaku looked back to the mirror. It was the mask that now stared back at him. A mask that had caused all this in the first place, but Suzaku didn't have time to think of the "what ifs" or bemoan the past, there was the now to handle and Suzaku didn't have much of a choice but to face it. He had to be the leader for it. That is what Lelouch had intended Suzaku to be, and with Lelouch under lock and key now, and hopefully in the future, Suzaku could focus on that.

He refastened the cape around his shoulders, the tight fabric clinging to his upper body, and opened the door to the little bathroom.

"Lord Zero," A steward near the door gave a bow of her head.

Suzaku studied her face for a moment, looking at her to determine she was Japanese. She had probably been a supporter of Zero long before the requiem and now appeared to still be a supporter. Suzaku bowed his head in his own answer and continued back to his seat. He'd never been fond of planes he had to admit that, but as he looked out over the ocean, the island of his homeland fast approaching, he had to admit that this was sort of relaxing, or at least far more than thinking what awaited him once he did land back in Japan.

* * *

It was a few days before Lelouch received a visit again and this time surprisingly from the same red head.

She at least announced herself this time as she came through the door. "I brought your food."

Lelouch had been startled out of not quite sleep but a form of it. He was in that stage more and more as of late. It wasn't sleep, but it wasn't awake—he was just simply in a limbo state where time would rush and he wouldn't have to run the events of the last few weeks over and over again. He had no visual simulation so the mental pictures had started to become more vivid as time went along. He would sometimes dream—they would be fleeting, loose, peaking his interest instantly, but letting him know they weren't real. It was always of Suzaku, Nunnally, Euphie, Shirley, of all the people he knew he'd lost and now just needed to let go. Suzaku was the foremost present, in his state of half dreams and in the foreground of his mind as someone he needed to let go.

But coming awake he shook his head, clearing away the dreams (memories?) to register that Kallen was back, which was surprising. He must have been a sight for sore eyes, but at this point he would have welcomed any sight, so he didn't dwell on the fact.

"Hello, to you as well." He said still a bit groggy.

"You sleep a lot." She commented, probably with a sneer, or at least that's how it sounded.

"Yeah," Lelouch commented as he pulled himself up to sit. "You tend to do that when there's nothing to do, and you can't see anything." Really, Lelouch wasn't sure what Kallen expected him to occupy his time with doing, besides sleeping.

"I've noticed." Kallen said as Lelouch heard her steps come forward, to set the metal tray down at his side. "Tamaki and I are on watch duty. Tamaki isn't very happy with you by the way, either."

Lelouch nodded. He didn't care much about what Tamaki thought of him, the man was more of a joke than anything else. Lelouch did hope that he managed to grow up a little one day—possibly get a good job, help rebuild Japan even. The man did have a good heart, of that Lelouch was sure.

"You're being rather accommodating, I see." Lelouch commented as he noticed the smell of coffee and well certainly not prison food.

Silence, probably because it was inevitable now between the two, like the conversations the day before. Lelouch bowed his head, hating how hard this was becoming just to have a regular conversation. It wasn't like he hadn't been through hell and back with this girl. He just couldn't' seem to formulate a decent thing to say to her.

"Lelouch?" her voice was a bit hesitant again, like she wasn't sure she should break the silence.

"Yes?" Lelouch, like a dog to a bone replied instantly. He couldn't stand this being as awkward as it was and the only way to change that was attempts at conversation until it became easy for the two of them again.

"Well, er—"_Kallen started, before stopping just short of actually saying anything.

"Yes?" Lelouch commented a little slower this time, trying to draw out the answer from Kallen. It had been the same thing from the day before. Like she was going to say something it was just like she couldn't quite get it out, couldn't let it break the surface.

"I was just—well you've already answered this question once." Kallen went on this time finally divulging some information to Lelouch.

Lelouch gave a snort. "You know, I'm rather curious about a few things myself." If she wasn't going to ask about something, than Lelouch certainly was going to take the opportunity to ask a few of his own.

"Well then you first." Kallen immediately jumped onto the prospect.

Lelouch rolled his eyes. This all felt rather high school. "Fine. Why are you here?" If Kallen was trying to pull something on Lelouch, Lelouch wanted to know about it. He was going through the effort after all to try ad n make them friends again, and if it turned out she wasn't here for that at all or for some ulterior motive Lelouch wanted to know about it.

'To bring your dinner!" Kallen snapped back.

"Any guard within this building can handle that. Why are _you _doing it?" Lelouch countered his voice dipping into a growl now.

There was a pause again but Lelouch wasn't having it this time. "Kallen you spent the first few weeks after this wanting me dead now you're bringing me dinner? What changed?" It was far blunter than Lelouch usually was, but he was trying to get a point across at this point and the point was that he was sick of tiptoeing around each other.

"Nothing changed!" She venomously hissed back.

"No, I'm quite sure something did, now was it simply your opinion of me or something deeper?" Lelouch pulled his chin back. "Who told you to come here? Was it Cornelia? I warn you, Kallen, don't trust that woman, nor Schniez—"

"I came because I wanted to!" she spat at him.

Lelouch could hear her breathing very hard as she stood now only a few feet from him.

"But if I'm not wanted, that's fine with me!" the now stomp of her boots were the only goodbye Lelouch got right before he heard the cell door slam.

Suddenly, Lelouch found himself wishing she would come back as he ignoring the food drew his knees up to his chin. Even if they were fighting, Lelouch wasn't at least left alone. And because he was alone and because he had no other thing to occupy himself the whole situation became his only solace and in the end—though he hated to admit it—he settled on the conclusion that when dealing with a very volatile girl like Kallen, Lelouch could have gone about things far differently with the hope of a better outcome.

* * *

Occupying his time hadn't been particularly hard. In fact without the added schedule of making sure to visit the hospital, Suzaku had gotten far more work done than planned.

Within the next two weeks Nunnally would be coordinated as Empress and Schneizel (under Zero's orders) would accompany her back to the home land to the new Pendragon. With the rest of the family dead, besides Cornelia, and the nobles all but wiped out of funds or just as well dead, they were running into minimal problems.

Things were going so well Suzaku was considering trying to stay in Japan if possible. That was all he'd done though was look into it. Suzaku knew he needed to be by Nunnally until he could pass the cup on to someone else more qualified.

Then there was Lelouch.

Suzaku came through the door and always saw the single sheet report on the coffee table. It was always set there, once a day, every day, so Suzaku could keep tabs but not have to take the initiative and actually go see his beloved. As much as Suzaku hated to admit it, he almost preferred things this way. There were no fights, no breakout attempts, nothing to worry about but the single sheet of paper that every night would let Suzaku know that Lelouch was safe and healthy. Suzaku already knew Lelouch was probably bored out of his mind, but Suzaku just couldn't take him out just yet. It was too soon and the hospital wouldn't take him back. Suzaku had to have a backup plan before then.

He looked around his residence—the backup plan staring him in the face. The locks on all the doors were almost set and the windows almost all installed. They wouldn't be able to open them anymore but at least Suzaku would have Lelouch near him. And just like the reports he would be safe and healthy, all that Suzaku cared about. As easy as it was just to read a paper every night, the absence of Lelouch was starting ot wear on Suzaku. he wanted to have the other boy at his fingertips again—Suzaku just wished that

He padded into the bedroom, greeting Arthur curled on the bed, awake but not exactly responsive to Suzaku as he entered. Suzaku removed the waist coat hanging it up , before going on to the gloves and cravat. The boots were last before he plopped on to the bed, Arthur gave an indignant yowl, as his napping spot was disturbed. Suzaku craned his neck back to look at the little gray and black cat.

The cell must be cold at night, and Lelouch must feel cramped in the small space. Suzaku reached out scratching behind Arthurs ear. He gave a sigh. Suzaku needed to at least go give Lelouch some sort of company. If Suzaku knew the other boy at all he enjoyed the company of other, he didn't always prefer it and if need be he could offer entertainment to himself fine, but he still liked the company of others. After a few weeks alone in a cell who wouldn't get lonely.

Letting his eyes close, Suzaku fell back against the bed. He couldn't leave Lelouch alone like that. No matter what the boy had done before this Suzaku had always forgiven him and gone back, one attempt to kill himself shouldn't be affecting Suzaku like this then. He let his eyes slip closed. Before it had always been something external though, away from the twos immediate relationship—now, did Lelouch want to see Suzaku miserable and alone so badly? What did Suzaku really mean to Lelouch as a person?

* * *

What do I mean to you?

* * *

It was a few days before Kallen returned. Lelouch didn't actually expect her to return at all so when she did it was a bit of a shock, and he hadn't been sleeping this time so the second those heeled boots entered the claustrophobic cell, Lelouch knew exactly who it was.

"I brought your dinner." Her words were bit out and as emotionless as ever.

Lelouch shook his head, still lost in the blindfold and still just as hobbled, but still with all his princely airs. "I thought we went over that a 'hello' is probably a better greeting when you announce your presence."

There was a loud clatter as she slammed down the metal tray at the side table. 'Well excuse me, I'm sorry to have disturbed you so rudely." It was followed by the sound of her quick retreat.

"Kallen, wait." Lelouch sighed.

The sound of footfalls ceased.

Saying he was sorry was a point Lelouch had never made to do very often and the very few times in his life that he had said it he usually hadn't meant it. the word itself just had a foul taste about it. It was admitting weakness something Lelouch never did well. That also meant he in no way was going to say it now. As awful of way as he had handled last time, this time was going to be different, but it wasn't starting with Lelouch apologizing for something he wasn't ashamed of. He had wanted to know the real reason Kallen was even speaking to him so he'd pressed the point, clearly too early and a little too venomous, but he'd done it anyway and he was still not sorry.

"I realize being in this cell has made a bit of an ass out of me." It was true, he found his thoughts were increasingly restless and not just that but they were also starting to get a little venomous themselves. "But I did mean my questions yesterday, and I understand if you don't feel like answering, just know I want them answered at some point." There was no way to put that with a dose of charm and elegance so Lelouch just said it, hoping it would go over slightly better than it had the day before.

"I already told you." Kallen gave a growl.

"Yes, yes," Lelouch sighed. "I know you're here to bring me my food, wonderful." He rolled his eyes, though not seen he was pretty sure the same attitude showed through the tone of his voice.

Kallen hadn't moved, which was the first thing to set Lelouch off. He'd lost his patience (not like there was much there to lose) and spat back another sarcastic comment, which usually meant Kallen would just storm out and leave him alone again.

"You were right, I have another reason." Kallen finally volunteered, but her tone just as harsh as before.

Lelouch waited, hoping she put that reason out there of her own accord. "What would that reason be…?" Lelouch finally supplied after only about half a minute more of silence.

"I—well I just had a question to ask you." Kallen said, uneasy this time.

On the other hand, Lelouch was getting increasingly tired of trying to fish the information out of her. If she wanted something from him she should have just said so in the first place when he'd made it clear that if she did she should speak then.

"Well?" Lelouch growled this time.

It was quite on the other end.

Lelouch shook his head in frustration. It was like talking to a very obstinate child with a secret. Debating whether this or being left alone was the better option, Lelouch turned away with a sigh. It wasn't like they were exactly getting anywhere new with this conversation. They were pretty much still at everyone's throats and all that they had established was that Kallen had a question and that Lelouch still didn't know what that was so he could answer it, but Kallen wanting an answer it seemed refused to leave.

"You know," Kallen started, meriting the stirring of Lelouch from the wall. "I already know the answer." She seemed to shuffle. "I mean you've answered the question at least twice now and all."

Lelouch sighed. "Then why ask the question yet again?"

Kallen was silent, but Lelouch was willing to wait this time. They were at least getting somewhere in this elaborate game of guess the question. Lelouch almost had a hunch that in his current state charades might be a better option.

It was just another moment before finally Kallen answered. "Because I want the answer to change."

Lelouch found that it was his turn to remain silent. There was no question now to what exactly Kallen was referring too.

"I better go." Kallen said quietly before exciting the room.

Lelouch listened to her leave a bit ashamed for the fact he knew that the answer had indeed not changed at all. It had never changed. After all the efforts she'd gone through, his opinion had never changed.

* * *

The next morning when Kallen showed up this time with breakfast Lelouch was not surprised at all. Lelouch at least felt that the day before had gone better—if not only marginally so. Therefore, it was quite natural to see Kallen that morning.

"He's back."

Lelouch heard her set the tray down onto the side table again before turning to him. "Who?" Lelouch was curious and a bit tired of this game of guess what Kallen is talking about.

"Zero is back, and he's not exactly happy with you."

It seemed though Kallen's presence was welcome Lelouch couldn't find it in him to welcome the news she brought with her. As much as he loved to think if he could be with Suzaku again, an angry Suzaku was a completely different matter. Suzaku was renowned for doing things when he was angry that weren't so popular—like selling Lelouch to his father, trying to force refrain on Kallen, stab Lelouch. Even if he didn't have some brash action up his sleeve he still tended to be little less than corrigible.

"Ah," Lelouch breathed. "So he's made his triumphant return?"

"Actually," Kallen started off a bit perturbed. "He's been back for about a week. But the meathead refuses to come see you, probably 'cause he's mad, but I'm getting tired of him hounding me on how you are doing. I'm not some messenger girl!"

Lelouch stopped himself from pointing out that instead she was the delivery girl. "I see."

It changed things. Partly in a good way because this meant Suzaku wouldn't be storming in here with another sword to do Lelouch a favor, only much more slowly, and partly in a bad way since that also meant Suzaku had time to think about what he was going to do with Lelouch. It also was the part a small as it was Lelouch tried to push aside and out of the forefront of his mind because that part it hurt just enough for Lelouch to have to admit he still very much cared about his counterpart.

"Right," Lelouch breathed.

"I don't know when he plans to tell you." Kallen said offish.

Lelouch was still trying to work thought it. It wasn't like Suzaku to hide from him. Not unless he had something already in the works… Lelouch shook his head. He had to focus on Kallen for the time being. "Thank you, Kallen. I'm glad you told me."

He heard the shuffle of feet. "Yeah, well don't thank me, when he does finally get around to talking to you I most certainly won't be around. He's mad enough he might just keep you here."

Lelouch nodded. Suzaku wouldn't do that. It was too hard to have access to Lelouch here and that was what Suzaku always wanted. Even when he was a Knight of the Rounds Suzaku had made sure Lelouch was kept at the academy for a reason, easy access. Lelouch was actually surprised that he'd held himself back for a whole year. Then again he had still been sore about Euphie. Suzaku was always still sore about Euphie actually.

"All the same, I'm glad you informed me."

"Mhmm," Kallen hummed from the door.

With nothing else to really say the room drifted back into silence, this time of the more awkward kind. It wasn't thick it was just quiet. The kind of quiet that involved things that probably needed to be said but more than likely wouldn't me. Questions that needed to asked let alone answered but there was no hope for either.

"You know," Kallen broke the silence, but hesitantly. "If I had known, back then I—" She stopped.

Lelouch's ears perked as he sat up just a bit straighter in hopes of hearing what she had to say.

"I don't think I would have done anything different."

Lelouch cocked his head, unsure of what exactly she was implying. "I'm not sure I follow…" Lelouch trailed off.

He heard a chuckle from Kallen this time. "I know, but I just thought I'd tell you. I wouldn't have done a thing different had I known."

"Known what?" Lelouch wondered out loud. That he was Zero? That he was planning to kill himself? That Suzaku and he had basically been involved since they were ten? What was it that she was impling and what was worse was that she was being so damn vague about it.

"Everything." Kallen answered before the clank of the cell door being opened then shut was all Lelouch was left with.

Lelouch sighed. Maybe C.c. had been right, he really was pretty dense when it came to the social aspects of life sometimes. He would have just blamed it on the fact Kallen was a woman; therefore, an enigma doomed to never be solved, but it was Kallen—she was the most blunt human being Lelouch knew. He sighed a second time leaning back against the wall. There was nothing he could really do about it now.

* * *

What do I Mean to you?

* * *

The next visitor he got had been one after hours. Or at least that's what it had felt like. Lelouch slept a lot of the time but was trying to somehow curb the urge somehow. He had yet to find a way. So asleep lying o n the bed, he spent the majority of his time on, Lelouch hadn't expected it in the least.

At first it rubbed just against his leg, Lelouch's eyes snapped open behind the blind fold. A second brush against the same leg had Lelouch bolting up in a daze to find the culprit.

"Mrrreow!" came the reply followed by a deep purring as plush fur rubbed up against Lelouch's side with the insistence only a cat could muster.

A smile stretched on Lelouch's face. "Hello, Arthur." He put one knee down for the cat to pad up on to his lap. Lelouch willingly accepted the cat. Though he'd never had much of a taste for cats or Arthur for that matter, he let Arthur puss as he settled on Lelouch's lap. Lelouch even reached up scratching behind his ears.

Besides it wasn't about the fact there was a cat, it was about the fact Lelouch now knew Suzaku was very actively watching, and that he was having troubles staying away. Lelouch smiled that same devious smile he hadn't used for a very long time. He was winning, and it wouldn't be long now until this knight returned to him.

* * *

Notes for this Chapter:

One: If you notice the dates I always put at the top (mainly those are there for my own purposes, but if you chance to look) you'll notice that this was started a very long time ago! Anyway so I'm calling this Chapter 10 2.0, because the version I wrote before this was even worse. But the next chapter really is better! And as big of fail as this one is it gets us from point A to point B and I hope you enjoy it.

Two: The second reason for this being so late—well uhm, so I made friends, not shocking really, with LawliPop (Go read her stuff, she's the Bee's Freaking Knees!) and we've been RPing on Live Journal—please don't kill me! I know, I know it's a bit of a lame excuse but that's all I got for ya! But to make up for it me and her are collaborating on a couple of projects that should be upcoming fairly soon.

Three: Question…What would you do if Knightmares were real?

~Reviews, like candy is always horribly hoarded and loved to the fullest extent!~


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